Category: Sound & Vision

Round 54 allocation supports production of content focusing on the voices of new Irish communities.

• Over €3.9 million in funding allocated for Round 54, with 35 projects funded covering drama, documentary, entertainment and educational programming for broadcast on TV and Radio
• 97% of funding has been allocated to independent producers, with €1.4 million of all funding going to projects in the Irish language or bilingual
• Additional €2 million funding secured by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to support content focusing on the voices of immigrant and new Irish Communities.

Coimisiún na Meán has today (14.11.24) announced the awarding of over €3.9 million of funding under the latest round of the Sound & Vision Scheme. Round 54 will fund the production of 35 projects across TV and radio by independent producers and broadcasters around the country. 97% of total funding as part of Round 54 has been provided to independent producers and approximately €1.4 million of all funding going to projects in the Irish language or bilingual.

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán said ‘’Coimisiún na Meán is committed to ensuring a diversity and plurality of content, reflective of the people of Ireland including their languages, traditions, religious, and cultural diversity. We are delighted to have an opportunity to support projects which give a voice to this diversity. This round of Sound and Vision will raise awareness of, and explore, the unique experiences and cultural values of new Irish communities while delivering a diverse range of high-quality culturally relevant content for audiences.

I would also like to thank Minister Catherine Martin for the allocation of an additional €2 million in funding. Sound & Vision remains a vital funding source for broadcasters and independent producers, enabling them to create programming for audiences that would otherwise not get made.”

Projects funded under Round 54 of the Sound & Vision Scheme include:

• Welcome To Moore Street – This series, for broadcast on RTÉ One is a window into the heart of modern day Ireland where things simply aren’t ‘black and white’. This series is not about immigration, rather it gives a fascinating insight into the lives of both ‘old’ and ‘new’ Irish who are fighting to make a living here in Dublin’s north inner city.
• My Ireland Too – In this documentary series, for broadcast on Virgin Media Television young asylum seekers and migrants in the Cork area navigate the challenges of building new lives amidst a sinister rise of discrimination and racist sentiment, representing an honest and authentic view of the migrant experience in Ireland.
• Bia Úr – This presenter-led documentary series for TG4 introduces audiences to the cultures and traditions of new and exciting foods through the stories of people who have made Ireland home.
• Mo Shaol, Do Shaol – This thirteen-part children’s entertainment series returns to Cúla4 for the 4th time, as young viewers get a taste of the major events celebrated by new Irish communities.
• Joy to the World – This radio documentary series for KCLR 96FM celebrates Christmas with immigrant and New Irish Communities by joining in with their traditions, music, preparations, decorations, foods and exchanges of gifts
• Mmanwu – This radio drama for broadcast on Newstalk delves into the complexities of maternal struggle, mental health, and the clash between tradition and modernity set against the vibrant backdrop of Dublin and Onitsha, Nigeria.
• Voices of New Ireland – This thirteen part series for broadcast on Flirt FM explores cultural heritage, the Irish language, education, arts, and more, highlighting community achievements and integration through diverse cultures that shape modern Ireland.

44 applications requesting over €4.3 million were submitted for consideration under Round 54 of the Sound & Vision Scheme and just over €3.9 million of funding awarded.

Approximately 35% of the recommended funding will support the production of Irish/Bilingual projects, and there are projects featuring a variety of other languages due to the nature of the Round. 97% of the funding (over €3.8 million) goes directly to the independent production sector. Round 54 consists of funding from the television licence fee, and funding of €2 million secured by Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media.

• Sound & Vision Round 54 Recommendations

Coimisiún na Meán has announced details of upcoming funding rounds under the Sound & Vision 4 Scheme.   

Round 53 – Sound & Vision ‘Open’ Round  

Round 53 opened on 9 April for broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language. This round closes at noon on Thursday, 30 May 2024. Funding decisions are envisaged to be available in August 2024. 

**NEW**Round 54 – Sound & Vision – Special Round to support the production of content focused on the voice of immigrant and new Irish Communities 

Round 54 will open on 27 June for broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language focused on the voice of immigrant and new Irish Communities. This round will close at noon on Thursday, 8 August 2024. Funding decisions are envisaged to be available in November 2024. This round has up to €2 million euros available and is financed by additional exchequer funding secured by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD. 

Round 55 – Sound & Vision ‘Open’ Round 

Round 55 will open on 15 October for broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language. This round closes at noon on Thursday, 28 November 2024. Funding decisions are envisaged to be available by late February 2025. 

Relevant Guidelines and Application Forms for each round will be published on the Coimisiún na Meán website on the round opening date.  Webinars will also be held for prospective applicants.  All applications must be submitted via www.cnamonline.ie    

For any Sound & Vision specific enquiries please contact: info@cnam.ie 

A total of €70 million provided by Scheme in past 5 years

• €7.9m will support the production of 65 high-quality TV and radio projects, including animation, drama, documentary, entertainment, and educational programmes, with 95% of funding for independent producers.
• €706k will support community broadcasters in creating social benefit programming that facilitates better access to and representation of the diversity of local communities in Ireland.

Coimisiún na Meán has announced the allocation of €8.6m of funding for broadcasters and independent producers arising from two recent rounds of Sound & Vision 4, the Broadcasting Funding Scheme. The Scheme supports the production of high-quality Irish and English language programming, based on Irish culture, heritage, and experience for broadcast on national, local and community TV and radio services.

Media Development Commissioner, Rónán Ó Domhnaill said: “Sound & Vision remains a vital funding source for broadcasters and independent producers from all over Ireland and brings the total amount of funding allocated by the Scheme to over €70 million since 2020. Sound & Vision funding boosts Ireland’s creative sector, bringing to life television, radio and film content in both the Irish and English languages. I would like to thank Minister Catherine Martin for her continued support of the Scheme and all those applicants who submitted proposals, and we look forward to seeing the programmes hit our screens and airwaves.

“This latest allocation of €8.6 million will enable independent producers and broadcasters to create engaging and thought-provoking content that resonates with audiences across Ireland. The programming produced will celebrate our cultural and linguistic heritage, amplify voices from marginalized communities, and explore underrepresented perspectives.”

Round 51

A total of 165 applications seeking over €18.8m in funding were submitted for consideration under Round 51 of the Sound & Vision 4 scheme, with just over €7.9m in funding awarded. This Round includes additional exchequer funding secured by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, Catherine Martin TD.

Round 51 will support the production of 65 TV and radio projects for audiences around the country, with €6.7m allocated to 27 TV projects, and over €1.1m for 38 radio productions. This Round focused on programming about gender equality, diversity, and inclusion of new Irish communities and voices.

Nearly 35% of the recommended funding (€2.7m) will support the production of Irish/bilingual projects, and 95% of the funding (€7.4m) goes directly to the independent production sector.

Some notable projects funded in Round 51 include:

• An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: This two-part documentary production by Gambit Pictures for RTÉ One, will follow a year in the life of Ireland’s most pristine temperate rainforest which has been created by Eoghan Daltun, in the face of a global environmental crisis and biodiversity loss.

• This is a Quiet Love/An Grá Ciúin: Produced by Curious North for TG4, this bilingual feature-length documentary will find four deaf couples sign the stories of how they met and fell in love. These cinematic love letters will weave a tapestry of deaf experience over a 70-year period.

• Irish Music Month: A radio production for Hot Press, operated by the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) which showcases and celebrates the best of new and upcoming musical talent, will be broadcast on 21 local commercial radio stations around Ireland.

• Echo Eco: This series of hour-long programmes by Newstalk will explore climate change and environmental issues and will be hosted by renowned environmental scientist Dr Tara Shine.

• Blúiríní Osnádúrtha: An Irish-language radio production for Raidió na Life which will see volunteers research and record Irish ghost stories from Dublin and beyond.

• Alternatyva Alternayvai: A television production for Dublin Community Television which will follow an opera production while celebrating Lithuanian culture.

• Video Nasty: Produced by Deadpan Pictures, this comedy-drama tells the story of three teenagers who go on an epic quest to complete a cult VHS collection and will be broadcast on Virgin Media Television. 

• Adam Loves Adventure: This comedy-themed quest show for pre-schoolers is set in space and stars real-life hero Adam King, a problem-solving space explorer whose prime directive is to use his big heart and space smarts to help aliens with their everyday problems. Produced by Kavaleer for broadcast on RTÉjnr. 

• Grá ar an Trá: Produced by Macalla Teoranta, entertainment series Grá ar an Trá returns for a second season on Virgin Media Television.

• Am Abú: A new innovative Irish language programme produced by Wonder Pics for kids. The historical drama series for TG4 will look to encourage media literacy and be the first production to use an Unreal Engine Virtual Reality workflow.

Round 52

Round 52 of the Sound & Vision 4 Scheme was a tailored Social Benefit Round and was informed by the Community Media Policy and Social Benefit Framework launched in 2021.The funding under this non-competitive round was allocated to community broadcasters who adequately demonstrated how they would better facilitate access to and representation of their respective communities and help increase the range of community participation in the production and distribution of broadcast content. The funding round also had a particular focus on community broadcasters providing programming and quality training and development opportunities for station staff and volunteers.

The funding will support a range of activities across 19 stations, including the following activities:

• Ros FM will build on training previously funded by Sound & Vision and offer QQI level 4 training to approximately 20 volunteers.

• Athlone Community Radio will deliver QQI level 3 & 4 training to staff, volunteers, and community groups.

• Community Radio Youghal will use funding to undertake increased engagement with their local community service, St Raphael’s, a local facility for adults with disabilities.

• Funding forCommunity Radio Castlebar will be used to further develop their engagement with Spéire Nua, a group that works with ex-offenders and the Involve Youth Project which works with Traveller youth.

• Funding will be used by Flirt FM to continue its successful ‘Community Takeover’ initiative, which has opened the airwaves to a range of community groups such as Foróige and Galway Autism Partnership by allowing them to produce and host their own programmes.

This is the fourth Social Benefit Round operated by the Scheme and brings the total amount of funding offered directly to Community broadcasters through the Social Benefit Rounds to €2.5m.

A list of successful applications is available here (Round 51) and here (Round 52).

Coimisiún na Meán has opened Round 53 of the Sound & Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme today (09.04.2024). An Coimisiún welcomes funding applications from broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of culturally valuable broadcast content, including content in the Irish language. 

Round 53 will have an additional objective to encourage projects that support the production of content targeted at or co-created by children and young people.

Prospective applicants can access the relevant Guides and Forms for Round 53 via the links below.  All applications must be submitted via www.cnamonline.ie.

Television Application Documentation

• Round 53 Television Guide for Applicants
• Round 53 Television Application Form

Radio Application Documentation

• Round 53 Radio Guide for Applicants
• Round 53 Radio Application Form

The Round will close at 12 noon sharp on 30 May 2024. An indicative budget of €7.4m is available under this Round.

An Coimisiún will run separate Radio and TV Zoom webinars for prospective applicants.

• Please register here to attend the applicant webinar at 11am on the 16^{th of} April 2024.