The New Media Info-Guide will provide you with a definition of new media, information on financing and associations for New Media businesses, and information on how to use new media tools to advertise and market your business.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is New Media?
2. Using New Media for Marketing and Advertising
3. Grants and Financing for New Media Businesses
4. Associations and New Media Organizations
5. Other Resources

1. What is New Media?

New Media is a term for different forms of electronic communication that are made possible through the use of computer technology. The term is in relation to "old" media forms, such as print newspapers and magazines that are static representations of text and graphics. Some examples of New Media include:

• web sites
• streaming audio and video
• online communities
• web advertising
• DVD and CD-ROM media
• virtual reality environments

Use of the term new media implies that the data communication is happening between desktop and laptop computers and handhelds, such as PDAs, and the media they take data from, such as compact discs and floppy disks.

The new media industry shares a close association with many market segments in areas such as software/video game design, television, radio, and particularly advertising and marketing, which seeks to gain from the advantages of two-way dialogue with consumers primarily through the Internet. The advertising industry has capitalized on the proliferation of new media with large agencies running multi-million dollar interactive advertising subsidiaries. In a number of cases, advertising agencies have also set up new divisions to study new media. Public relation (PR) firms are taking advantage of the opportunities in new media through interactive PR practices.

2. Using New Media for Marketing and Advertising

As more businesses look for revenue online, a variety of new ways to advertise and market your business have emerged. Possibly the most familiar to most business owners would be to create a website or to use email to communicate with customers.

The first step is to discover what kinds of new media tools would work best for your business. Some of the more innovative ways to market and advertise your business include:

• social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Ryze.com)
• hidden (or viral) marketing campaigns
• podcasts (audio content that you can listen to online or on an MP3 device like an iPod)
• mobile technology (online content that can be viewed on mobile devices like a Blackberry or cell phone)

Social media strategies can include:

• Building blogs teach conversational marketing and business relationship building techniques
• Creating informational podcasts about your product
• Combining email newsletters with content from an additional website or blog

A social media marketer provides strategic online recommendations based on the client's business goals and intensive research. A marketer also reaches out to the target audience through various methods and monitors the buzz surrounding the client's products and services. Social Media Marketing entails:

• Data analysis
• Providing strategies to clients
• Training, presenting, and research
• Relationship-building and networking
• Outreach to online users and bloggers

Most companies, large and small are still figuring out where social media as a communication and engagement platform fits. It's a process of try, test and try again. Customers will be talking about your company online and the companies that are doing well with social media are being responsive, not just sitting back and watching.

Networking

With the arrival of social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, entrepreneurs can begin to make connections, or 'friends' in similar industries, stage of business, or experience. Typically, each service has formal sign-up steps that assist you in creating your online identity. This may include information relating to your current job, previous positions, and general interests. Some business networking sites enable you to publish you own "blog," or join specific community discussion groups.

New media tools can help you promote your product or service, generate clients, as well as create networks of clients and peers as an online 'community' surrounding your product or service. (i.e. MacAddict - a personal site devoted to Apple products)

3. Grants and Financing for New Media Businesses

The new media industry shares a close association with many market segments in areas such as software/video game design, television, radio, and particularly advertising and marketing. If you are thinking about starting a New Media business, CBO can provide you with information on some of the most popular sources of grants and contributions:

Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Arts and Media

This Info-Guide provides an overview of grant and subsidy programs potentially available for businesses involved in arts and media, including programs offered or supported by the governments of Canada and Ontario.

For further information:
see the document Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Arts and Media

Canada Council for the Arts

Canada Council for the Arts is the national arts funding agency. This site provides information about the council's grants to media artists, including travel grants, and grants available to aboriginal media artists. The council also administers a number of important awards and prizes.

For further information:
visit the website Canada Council for the Arts

Community Arts Councils

A number of municipalities and regions in Ontario have arts councils which are involved in encouraging and promoting local arts and cultural activities, and funding local organizations. Some offer grants or awards for artists, and they all will have information of interest to local artists. Some local councils include:

• Guelph Arts Council
• Arts Council of Hamilton
• Kingston Arts Council
• London Arts Council
• Mississauga Arts Council
• Quinte Arts Council
• Scarborough Arts Council
• Thunder Bay Regional Arts Centre
• Toronto Arts Council
• Waterloo Regional Arts Council
• Windsor and Region Arts Council

For further information:
visit the website Ontario Artist.ca

Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA)

IMAA is a national association of 82 artist-run organizations across Canada, representing more than 12,000 artists and other cultural workers. This website has a comprehensive list of public sector, private sector and broadcaster-related sources of funding for digital media productions.

For further information:
visit the website Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA)

Ontario Arts Council (OAC)

OAC is the province's primary funding body for professional arts activity. This site has information about project grants that may be available to individual artists. The OAC also administers a number of important awards and prizes.

For further information:
visit the website Ontario Arts Council

NSERC/Canada Council for the Arts New Media Initiative

The NSERC/Canada Council for the Arts (Canada Council) New Media Initiative is intended to promote collaboration between scientists and/or engineers and artists, thereby combining creativity with the development and application of new technologies and knowledge.

For further information:
visit the website NSERC/Canada Council for the Arts New Media Initiative

Canadian Culture Online

Canadian Culture Online is part of the Department of Canadian Heritage's strategy to encourage a uniquely Canadian presence on the Internet.

Canadian Culture Online works with Canada's creators, cultural industries, communities and institutions to produce and make available to Canadians the digital cultural content that will help promote our country's rich culture, history, arts and heritage.

For further information:visit the website Canadian Culture Online 

4. Associations and New Media Organizations

Association of Internet Marketing and Sales (AIMS)

AIMS helps business professionals effectively leverage the internet in their day-to-day business. With over 5,000 members AIMS is Canada's largest Internet association.

For further information:
visit the website Association of Internet Marketing and Sales Canada

Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)

The Canada Council for the Arts is a non-partisan, non-profit cultural advocacy organization which provides a national forum for debate on cultural policy. Canada Council for the Arts is a leading national advocate for Canada's artists and cultural institutions and industries.

For further information:
visit the website Canada Council for the Arts

Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA)

CFTPA is a non-profit trade association representing almost 400 Canadian companies involved in the media content production industry. With offices in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, the association promotes the interests of media content producers by lobbying government on policy matters, negotiating labour agreements, offering mentorship programs, copyright initiatives, holding an annual conference and publishing materials.

For further information:
visit the website Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA)

Coalition for Cultural Diversity (CCD)

The CCD, an organization of Canadian cultural professional associations, has a mandate to assert that cultural diversity is a fundamental human right and that countries and governments be entirely free to adopt the policies necessary to support the diversity of cultural expression and the viability of enterprises that produce and disseminate this expression.

For further information:
visit the website Coalition for Cultural Diversity (CCD)  

Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA)

IMAA is a national network of independent film, video and electronic media producers, distributors and exhibitors from all parts of Canada and it works to promote the improvement of means and access for independents at every stage of funding, production, distribution and exhibition. IMAA currently regroups 84 organizations, thus representing more than 12,000 artists and cultural workers. It has 26 members in Ontario.

For further information:
visit the website Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA)

Interactive Ontario (io)

Interactive Ontario is a not-for-profit industry trade organization that represents over 100 interactive digital media companies. The website also has a jobs board.

For further information:
visit the website Interactive Ontario

Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC)

OMDC is an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Culture that facilitates economic development opportunities for Ontario's cultural media industries including book publishing, film and television, interactive digital media, magazine publishing, and music industries. The site has important background information about Ontario's film and television industry and links to industry sources.

For further information:
visit the website Ontario Media Development Corporation

5. Other Resources

Social Media Club
The Social Media Club site focuses on sharing best practices, establishing ethics and standards, and promoting media literacy around the emerging area of Social Media.

Cultural Careers Council Ontario (CCCO)
CCCO addresses human resources and career development needs and issues for Ontario's arts and culture community. CCCO develops, facilitates and promotes human resources and career development programs, publications, services and partnerships. CCCO has a job board of work and volunteer opportunities in the cultural sector.

Related Reading

• Arts and Artists Info-Guide

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DISCLAIMERS

Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.

Some of the organizations listed above are not subject to the federal Official Languages Act or the French Language Services Act of Ontario. Their services may not be available in both official languages.