Act Productions 
Contents

  
 

ACT Productions  

Gaining a Voice  

Research Done by  
Gaining a Voice  

Tom Trottier  

Angelina  

Gaining a Voice's Aims  
 
A Christmas Mosaic 



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ACT Productions 
To Contact ACT Productions send mail to
actprod@act.ca
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Fax: +1 613 594-8944
ACT Productions Inc. 
199 Holmwood Ave.
Ottawa ON
CANADA
K1S 2P3
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Design By Leo Trottier. 
Content By ACT Productions Inc.
Copyright © 1997 ACT Productions Inc. 
All rights reserved.
Revised: August  25, 1998

Gaining A Voice

Gaining a Voice's Aims

Gaining a Voice's Research

Comparable Programs

Course Package Elements

Development Plans

GAINING A VOICE is an eight part television series on the news industry in Canada which will be produced by ACT Productions Inc. of Ottawa, and sponsored by the Media Resources Advisory Group. This series has been in development for nine years. It began as a series of media relations workshops offered to community organizations. These workshops were to help members of minority groups understand the workings of the news media.  

The workshops were offered by the Media Resources Advisory Group of Ottawa-Carleton (MRAG) an organization established by individuals from the media and minority groups. These individuals were concerned that the coverage of minority ethnic events, cultures, and issues is often either inaccurate in the mainstream media, or not covered at all. 

Along with these training workshops, MRAG developed reference materials on the news media. These reference materials later became the book GAINING A VOICE. (a copy of the book has been sent for your reference) 

The GAINING A VOICE TV series, is the next stage in aiding community groups to gain more of a presence for their issues, attitudes and events in the mainstream media. While the workshops and were primarily targeting minority ethnic community groups, the television series addresses all community organizations wishing to gain a presence in the mainstream media. 

 

Comparable Programs

There are no comparable programs on media relations in Canada, nor in the US or Britain. The only television programs that exist could be described as media studies. These programs explain the effects of media on the society. In Canada, two such series, produced by the NFB, are CONSTRUCTING REALITY, "a selection of Canadian archival and current documentary films for the purpose of studying the conventions, the techniques, the power, and the social impact" of mass media and MEDIA AND SOCIETY a "resource for anyone concerned about the impact of the media on the values and perceptions of young people." 

GAINING A VOICE will fill the vacuum that presently exists on programs about how the news media works and how to access it.  

 

Course Package Elements

The Media Resources Advisory Group has published a 188 page book, GAINING A VOICE, which is a comprehensive yet simple guide to media relations. This book will be a helpful resource to complement viewing the television series. Suggested readings from the book may be advised to clarify points presented in the series. 

 

Development Plans

ACT Productions Inc. has been developing this project since June of 1993. In this time we have a broadcast license with Vision TV, secured most of the funding and obtained the rights to produce derivative works from the book GAINING A VOICE. We have also assembled an Advisory Committee composed of members of the professional media and members of community groups. This Advisory Committee has been meeting since October 18, 1994. Production of GAINING A VOICE has started and we require funds from CIFTV Fund to complete the project. Following is a monthly schedule of the development plans.  

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