Australian Children's Television Foundation
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| Abbreviation | ACTF |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1982 |
| Type | Government-funded |
| Legal status | Foundation |
| Purpose | Development and promotion of children's television in Australia |
| Headquarters | Fitzroy, Victoria |
| Location | |
| Website | http://www.actf.com.au |
The Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) is a national non-profit children’s media production and policy hub.
The ACTF helps develop children’s television policy; distributes and pays for Australian children’s television series; supports new children’s media; and develops screen resources for the education sector.
The Australian Education Council established the ACTF following recommendations to Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. It is supported by, and receives funding from, the Commonwealth Government and the governments of most States and Territories.
The Founding Director of the Australian Children's Television Foundation Dr Patricia Edgar AM was the driving force behind the establishment of the Australian Children's Television Foundation. As the Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal's Children's Program Committee for 5 years enforcing children's program standards and the children's drama quota Edgar argued quality programs would not be made without a not-for profit production company creating exemplary programs. Her arguments caught the attention of the Victorian Minister for the Arts (and Educational Services) Norman Lacy who invited her to work with him. Lacy was an admirer of Edgar's ideas for improving the quality of children's television production. They agreed to join forces to promote the proposal for the establishment of an organisation to achieve their shared objectives. Lacy then used his ministerial membership of the Australian Education Council and the Australian Arts Ministers' Conference to initiate funding for the establishment of the Australian Children's Television Foundation. He appointed Edgar to the Arts Ministry staff to steer the project, provided office space and establishment funding, and won the support of NSW Education Minister Paul Landa with whom he co-hosted the early steering committee meetings.[1] which were chaired by Ken Watts former Chair of the Australian Film Commission.
In early 1981, Lacy addressed the Senate Standing Committee on Education and the Arts arguing for the strategic and national importance of a Commonwealth commitment to recurrent funding for the fledgling Foundation.[2] The Senate Standing committee report Children and Television Revisited recommended the establishment of an independent children's television production unit, which was the impetus for the foundation of the ACTF, to be funded by the Australian government with contributions from state and territory governments.
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