Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

APTN is committed to assessing submissions following the guidelines in our Request for Proposals and our goal is to make this process as straightforward as possible. For details on APTN's Proposal Process click here.

Eligibility

The following information applies to applications for Development and Licensing. In order for proposals for Development or Licensing to be eligible for consideration the following conditions must be met:

1. Program selection must be of interest to a national Aboriginal audience
2. The producer must:
   a) An Aboriginal person, if an individual, which is defined to include a First Nations, Métis or Inuit person who resides in Canada; or
   b) An Aboriginal production company, which is defined to include:
   
   ii) A sole proprietorship, a limited company, a co-operative, a partnership, or a not-for-profit organization in which Aboriginal persons have at least fifty one (51%) percent ownership and control; or
   iii) A joint venture consisting of two (2) or more Aboriginal businesses or an Aboriginal business and a non-Aboriginal business, provided that the Aboriginal business(es) has at least fifty-one (51%) percent Aboriginal ownership and control of the joint venture, as verified to the satisfaction of APTN;
   
   
   
   
3. A production company or team requesting an APTN broadcast license for a second or subsequent window does not have to be an Aboriginal Producer and/or Aboriginal Production Company (see above), however, a realistic work plan and evidence for Aboriginal training/mentorship must be provided. Some key positions must be held by Aboriginal People(s)
4. The production company must be in compliance with any previous contract with APTN
5. In accordance with our CRTC license, APTN requires closed captioning for the hearing impaired on all English programs and closed captioning on at least 25% of all original French language programming. APTN will require programs in Aboriginal languages to be subtitled in either French or English. Additionally, original dramatic series require video description for the visually impaired.
6. All programs must qualify as Canadian content
7. APTN will not license proposals submitted by individuals or companies that do not have relevant production experience

Rating Criteria

Proposals are also rated upon (but not limited to) the following criteria and conditions:

• Language – As a condition of its license, APTN has committed to broadcasting a significant amount of programming that originates in an Aboriginal language. Special consideration will be extended to proposals that originate in an Aboriginal language.
• Versioning in one or more languages including an Aboriginal language, English and/or French are a key element of the mandate and mission of APTN. Proposals that will version in additional languages will be given increased consideration.
• High Definition – all proposals must include HD delivery of program masters
• Rich and Substantial Digital media – proposals that include plans for web development or other media outlets like podcasting and video on-demand; iPhone application; internet applications such as interactive maps; Game; Alternate Reality Game; Video Blog; Webisodes; Mobisodes; (i.e. scripted content); Text Blog; Streaming; Viral video; User-generated content; Social networking (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc...); Forum; Other audiovisual content such as interviews; behind the scenes; webinars; will be given increased consideration
• Canadian source (please note that for any licensed program APTN will require a CRTC Certificate of Canadian Program Certification for all programs over five minutes in duration)
• Creative content including originality, production value, track record of creative team
• Level of Aboriginal participation
  • Executive Producer, Producer, Director, Principal Writer
  • Crew
  • Talent
• Aboriginal mentorship/training commitments
• Number and value of licenses previously granted
• Secured funding
• Shelf life
• APTN window
• Production schedule (target availability for broadcast)
• Primary and Secondary Audience
  • National
  • Regional

Proposals are also evaluated on many criteria, including the vision of the APTN; our desire to attract and engage our audience; the terms of our license with the CRTC; the finite financial resources of the network; the quality of the proposal; and the credentials of the production team.

APTN receives more than 250 proposals for new programs each year and is only able to proceed with a small number of these. A rejection of your proposal is not always a creative judgment on your work but merely a reflection of how much we can commit to at any given time.

APTN only accepts 1st window licensing proposals when it issues a Request for Proposals. Development, 2nd window and Digital media proposals are accepted on an on-going, first come, first served basis throughout the year until funds are exhausted. Information on what APTN is accepting is available on the Producers home page (About).

Please see Proposal Process for more information.