Bell Fund Board Appoints New Executive Director

Bell Fund Board Appoints New Executive Director

Veteran producer & broadcaster Nancy Chapelle to helm pioneering national digital media fund

TORONTO, December 11, 2014 – The Bell Fund has named media industry powerhouse Nancy Chapelle as its new Executive Director.

“Following a very competitive executive search, we selected Nancy for her successful track-record at the intersection of broadcast and digital media, her management strengths, as well as her vision for industry collaborations,” said Bell Fund Board Chair Paul Hoffert.

Chapelle will assume her new post January 5, 2015. Reporting to the independent Board of Directors, she will work from the Bell Fund’s Toronto office, oversee the Fund’s nation-wide grant programs and provide leadership to the team, including the Montreal office run by longstanding Associate Director Claire Dion.

“I have spent my career helping content creators tell their stories. The Bell Fund has been investing in cutting-edge innovative storytelling. The fit between us is terrific,” said Chapelle. “Going forward, the Fund must continue being bold in our collaborations, experimentation and knowledge-sharing.”

Chapelle served for 11 years as TVO’s Managing Director, Content & Programming, and played a senior strategic role in TVO’s transformation from a single TV channel to a relevant and agile multiplatform media organization. Prior to this, she was the co-founder of Catalyst Entertainment, a Toronto-based production and distribution company, which ultimately became part of a publicly-traded family entertainment studio known for significant animation brands. Her professional honours include a Gemini Award and the Women’s Executive Network Top 100 Most Powerful Women Award.

The Bell Fund has provided $150M in grants to 1500 digital media projects associated with television since its inception in 1997. Applicants can submit project proposals in each of four annual funding rounds: February 1, May 1, July 15 and October 1, 2015.

A translation of this news appears here in French: https://bellfund.ca/bell-fund-board-appoints-new-executive-director/#.VInZKHtvAXg

ABOUT THE BELL FUND

The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian independent producers who develop and produce television content complemented and enhanced by excellent digital content designed for various platforms. These digital media projects reflect state-of-the-art technology and are helping traditional television producers and broadcasters to discover the value-added benefits of digital extensions.  Since 1997, the Bell Fund has invested $150M in 1500 Canadian digital media projects, television programs, development grants and support for research and professional development. The Bell Fund receives annual contributions of approximately $14M from Bell TV as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry. In addition, the Development Program is supported by the interest generated by a $10M endowment resulting from BCE-CTV benefits, and contributions from Aliant. The Bell Fund is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, governed by an independent Board of Directors representing various sectors of the television and digital media industry.

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For more information please contact:

Catherine Warren, Chair of Communications, Bell Fund Board

604-724-4609cath@fantrust.com

Marcia Douglas, Program Manager, Bell Fund

416-977-8154mdouglas@ipf.ca