Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
26/07/2005

South West Screen announces £1.1m funding boost

South West Screen has announced a £1.1 million project to grow the film, television and interactive media sectors in the South West of England and develop a powerful international profile.
South West Screen will lead a project to build the media industry’s capability and global reputation.
The project is supported by a range of private and public bodies. The South West of England Regional Development Agency has provided £500,000 of funding with additional partners including BBC, Business Links, Channel 4, the European Social Fund, Pact, Skillset and UK Trade & Investment.
Four collaborative Regional Media ‘cluster’ Groups are operating in Bournemouth, Bristol, Cornwall, Gloucester and Plymouth. These groups have already started to implement business development plans supported by South West Screen, and representatives from media companies across the region will co-operate and share ideas. Nearly 1000 companies and freelancers are already engaged with the Regional Media Groups, including BBC, E3 Media, Granada, Icon Films, Spider Eye, Touch Productions and TwoFour Productions.
A recent Burns Owens Partnership report revealed that in 2001 the media industries in the South West provided £3.7 billion revenue in the region. With thriving companies operating in the region, the South West has a strong platform from which to compete at international level.
Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive at South West Screen, said: “The South West has a dynamic, creative and innovative media sector, which has the capacity to grow and build on its existing national and international reputation.”
She continued: “The region has become renowned for creative talent, distinctive programmes and films, and cutting-edge technological expertise and facilities. Our goal for 2010 is for the region’s media businesses to be flourishing on a global level, bringing long-term employment, increased revenues and diverse cultural value to the region.”
Dafydd Williams, sector manager for creative industries at South West RDA, said: “This region has a long-standing reputation for attracting imaginative and innovative people and today around 89,000 people are employed in creative industries.
“The RDA sees its role in encouraging the growth of creative industries, including media, as vitally important. We have invested around £5m during the past three years to support media businesses and we now have the strongest sector outside London.
“This project will enable us to build on the existing media skills base, and develop a pool of expertise that will help companies to grow their business and compete on an international stage.”
(GB)
VMI.TV Ltd

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

08/09/2003
South West agencies join forces with Channel 4
Channel 4, the South West Regional Development Agency and South West Screen are joining forces to help bring new creative talent in the area to the sm
04/10/2011
South West Screen Welcomes Creative England
South West Screen has welcomed the beginning of a new era for the creative industries in the South West, as new English regions-wide agency Creative E
09/12/2010
Singapore And UK Team Up On Multiplatform Developments
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) and South West Screen, the development agency for film, television and digital media in the South W
01/09/2006
South West Screen Launches Media Placement Scheme
South West Screen has announced the launch of a placement scheme for people aged 18 - 35 to take up traineeships with top media production companies i
20/10/2003
Plymouth Media Partnership receives South West Screen funding
Plymouth Media Partnership, the organisation set up to promote the creative media industry in Plymouth and the surrounding area, has received financia
15/10/2003
South West Screen & EM Media get industry approval
South West Screen and EM Media have been recognised as Regional Training Partners by the Skillset Approvals System. The system is based on industry ag
23/05/2005
South West film locations to be showcased
South West film locations are being shown off next week as South West Screen, Bristol and Bath Film Offices and Cornwall Film join forces to promote t
06/07/2009
Screen South Appoints Interim CEOs
The Regional Screen Agency for the South East, Screen South, has announced the appointment of joint new interim chief executive officers (CEO) Sarah D
21/08/2017
IBC2017: At The Core Of Global Media And Digital Industry Trends
With its Digital Tech Hub, Qvest Media is encouraging the exchange of global trends between the media and broadcasting industry at this year's IBC Sho
14/07/2006
Trio of talented students from the South West sought for £3k industry bursary
Help is at hand for creative people from the South West to take up post graduate study before entering the film and TV industry. South West Screen's i
28/01/2005
South West Screen appoints Laughton as new chairperson
South West Screen has announced that Roger Laughton, the former head of Bournemouth Media School, is to be the Regional Screen Agency’s Chairperson. L
13/05/2005
South West locations showcased at Cannes
The South West of England is reportedly taking the internationally renowned Cannes Film Festival by storm. Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive of South
14/10/2002
South West Screen launch education strategy
South West Screen have launched the South West Moving Image Education Strategy, at the Watershed Media Centre in Bristol. As the regional screen agenc
17/05/2005
Aardman Animations, Twofour and Endemol West share skills
Three top production companies from the South West are teaming up with staff from South West Screen and Skillset for a skills day later this month. Th
16/12/2011
Creative England Takes On South West Screen Contracts
Bristol-based regional screen agency South West Screen has announced the full transfer of all of its projects and activities into the new agency Creat