Minutes of the August 14 2023 Monthly Meeting

Minutes of the August 14 2023 Monthly Meeting

Minutes of the Monthly Meeting held on August 14, 2023, through video conference via Zoom

Present/Attendees

  • Thomas S. Saras
  • Mohammad Tajdolati
  • Neel Nanda
  • Maria Saras-Voutsinas
  • Rosemary Sadlier
  • Ricky Castellvi
  • Hon. Basilio Giordano
  • George Bakoyiannis
  • Dimitri Papadopoulos
  • AR Nathan
  • Zenaida Ferry
  • Ravi
  • Hermie Garcia
  • Ghulam Rasool
  • Manan Gupta
  • Elsayed Nasr
  • Khalid Hamid
  • Thanasis Kourtesis
  • John Saraidaris
  • Ernesto Donan
  • Martha Pinzon
  • Nishantha Don
  • Bridgette Fontille
  • Josee Shanks
  • Sukumar Tamil Journal
  • Roberto Hausman
  • Kathy Gerasklis
  • Rick Esquerra
  • Mila Garcia
  • Medhat Oweida
  • Syed Hasson
  • Sima Ghaffarzadeh
  • Shahidul Mintu
  • Lui Queano
  • Denis Poirier
  • Jennifer Zhu
  • Hon. Joe Volpe
  • Ayubowan Sri Lanka
  • Leila Monteiro Lins
  • Deborah Shatz
  • Gezahegn Mekonnen
  • Daniela Spirlac
  • Lankathas Pathmanathan
  • Susana Donan
  • Kethes Kumar
  • Michael Li
  • Shail Prasad
  • Essie
  • Veronica Cusi
  • Ragee Arasaratnam
  • Fiza SyedaDimitri Papadopoulos
  • AR Nathan
  • Zenaida Ferry
  • Ravi
  • Hermie Garcia
  • Ghulam Rasool
  • Manan Gupta
  • Elsayed Nasr
  • Khalid Hamid
  • Thanasis Kourtesis
  • John Saraidaris
  • Ernesto Donan
  • Martha Pinzon
  • Nishantha Don
  • Bridgette Fontille
  • Josee Shanks
  • Sukumar Tamil Journal
  • Roberto Hausman
  • Kathy Gerasklis
  • Rick Esquerra
  • Mila Garcia
  • Medhat Oweida
  • Syed Hasson
  • Sima Ghaffarzadeh
  • Shahidul Mintu
  • Lui Queano
  • Denis Poirier
  • Jennifer Zhu
  • Hon. Joe Volpe
  • Ayubowan Sri Lanka
  • Leila Monteiro Lins
  • Deborah Shatz
  • Gezahegn Mekonnen
  • Daniela Spirlac
  • Lankathas Pathmanathan
  • Susana Donan
  • Kethes Kumar
  • Michael Li
  • Shail Prasad
  • Essie
  • Veronica Cusi
  • Ragee Arasaratnam
  • Fiza Syeda

Agenda of the day

    • Welcome Remarks by the chair.
    • Minutes of the previous meeting
    • Presentation by Josee Shanks- Department of Canadian Heritage
    • President’s Report/Discussions
    • New Members/New Business
    • Adjournment

    Welcome Remarks by the Chair:

    Mohammed Tajdolati chaired the virtual monthly meeting and declared the meeting open. Roberto Hausman moved a motion to approve the agenda. Joe Volpe seconded it. The motion was carried unanimously.

    Minutes of the previous meeting:

    Nishantha moved a motion to approve the minutes of the previous monthly meeting and Roberto seconded it. Minutes of the previous monthly meeting were approved unanimously.

    A moment of silence was observed in honour of our brother and colleague, Srimal Christopher Abeyewardene. We will miss him greatly. May his memory be eternal.

    PreSENTATION BY JOSEE SHANKS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CANADIAN HERITAGE:

    The presentation can be found here:

    Canada Periodical Fund

    Business Innovation
    Magazines
    and
    Community Newspapers

    Objectives of Business Innovation
    • support innovation and the use of new technologies;
    • strengthen the financial viability of Canadian print magazines, print community newspapers (non-daily) and digital periodicals;
    • increase access to the market by Canadian print magazines, print community newspapers (non-daily) and digital periodicals;
    • encourage the development of the next generation of Canadian periodical publishing professionals; and
    • enhance the diversity of titles and Canadian editorial content available to readers and advertisers

    Canada Periodical Fund (CPF)

    Aid to Publishers (ATP)

    • This component is designed to provide eligible Canadian publishers of print magazines, print community newspapers (non-daily) and digital periodicals with the financial support they need to produce and distribute high-quality, Canadian editorial content for Canadian readers.

    Collective Initiatives (CI)

    • Funds projects for organizations designed to increase the overall sustainability of the Canadian magazine and community newspaper (non-daily) industries.

    Canada Periodical Fund (CPF)

    Business Innovation (BI)

    • A component that supports projects for small and medium-sized publishers of print and digital magazines.
    • This component has two subcomponents:
      • Magazines
      • Community Newspapers

       

    Canada Periodical Fund (CPF)

    Magazines and Community Newspapers Publisher Eligibility

    • be a private-sector entity, which includes corporations, not-for-profit organizations, partnerships and sole proprietorships;
    • be majority owned and controlled by Canadians.

    Periodical Eligibility

    • contain an average of at least 80% Canadian editorial content in the issues published during the reporting period.
    • Ethnocultural periodicals must contain an average of at least 50% Canadian editorial content in the issues published during the reporting period;
    • contain an average of no more than 70% advertising in all issues published during the reporting period. Advertising content is calculated as a percentage of total content published. Note that advertorial and sponsored content are included in this calculation; and
    • contain at least 50% original content in the issues published during the reporting period.

    Magazine Eligibility – Print

    • appear in consecutively numbered or dated issues;
    • Have at least two issues in the past 12 months;
    • average circulation – no less than 250/no more than 100,000;
    • subscription price of $12 per year or $1 per copy;
    • paid circulation magazines must:
      • have at least 50% paid or request circulation, or a combination of
        these equaling 50%.
      • Indigenous, ethnocultural, official-language minority and 2SLGBTQI+
        magazines must demonstrate paid or request circulation, but are not required to maintain the 50% threshold;

       

    Magazine Eligibility – Digital

    • maintain a regular publishing schedule in which the majority of editorial content changes at least twice during a 12-month period;
    • have articles date-stamped with identified authors;
    • maintain one of the following types of verifiable circulation over six months:
      • paid subscription service: priority will be given to periodicals that maintain an average of at least 250 subscribers;
      • email-based service: priority will be given to periodicals that maintain an average of at least 1,000 registered email
        recipients; or
      • open access-service: priority will be given to periodicals that maintain an average of at least 2,500 unique monthly visitors;
      • maintain an editorial function where the editor is named;
      • regularly present written editorial content from more than one person;
      • have generated a minimum revenue of $2,500 in the fiscal year (e.g., subscription revenues, advertising sales, etc.)
      • the minimum revenue does not apply to official-language minority, Indigenous, ethnocultural and 2SLGBTQI+ digital publications;
      • present a clearly displayed masthead or contact page that includes, at minimum, the names of the publisher and
        editor and how to contact the publication; and
      • have a total revenue of less than $500,000 for the publication.

       

    Community Newspapers Eligibility – Print

    • be printed and appear in consecutively numbered or dated issues published under a common title;
    • have published between two and 52 regular issues and no more than 56 issues during the financial year, including special issues;
    • paid circulation community newspapers must:
      • have sold at least 3,500 paid copies through subscription copies and single-copy/newsstand copies during the financial year.
      • Official-language minority, Indigenous, ethnocultural and 2SLGBTQI+ community newspapers must have sold at least 2,000 paid copies during the financial year;
      • have subscriptions sold at a minimum average subscription price of $12 per year; or at a minimum average subscription price of $0.50 per copy;
      • have single copies and newsstand copies sold at a minimum average single-copy price of $0.50 per copy;
      • have both the subscription and single-copy prices appear on the cover or in the masthead of the community newspaper.
      • The minimum prices do not apply to official-language minority, Indigenous, ethnocultural and 2SLGBTQI+ community newspapers.

       

    Community Newspapers Eligibility – Digital

    • be available through a valid URL, an app for download, email format, or a third-party publishing platform and provide access to the program;
    • maintain a regular publishing schedule, editorial content changes at least twice during a 12-month period;
    • have articles date-stamped with identified authors;
    • maintain a verifiable circulation over six months:
    • have generated a minimum revenue of $2,500 in the fiscal year.
    • The minimum revenue does not apply to official-language minority, Indigenous, ethnocultural and 2SLGBTQI+ digital publications;
    • have Canadian editorial content levels that are above 80%
    • at least 50% of content must be in written format and videos uploaded as content must have a corresponding text article to count towards eligibility.
    • maintain an editorial function where the editor is named;
    • present a clearly displayed masthead or contact page that includes, at minimum, the names of the publisher and editor and how to contact the publication; and
    • have a total revenue of less than $500,000 for the publication.

    Eligible Projects

      • be a new activity not repeated from previous Business Innovation projects;
      • be outside of and in addition to regular, recurring or ongoing operations, including editorial, production and distribution activities; and
      • align with the objective of the Canada Periodical Fund, and at least one of the objectives of the Business Innovation component.

    Changes 2023-24

        • Magazine applications must be submitted through the portal
        • Community newspapers must fill out an application form
        • Contact the Program to request an application
        • You can claim expenses starting April 1st 2023, if you have started the
          project.
        • Start-ups amount has gone up from $5,000 to $10,000
        • Business Innovation amount has gone up to $500,000 per year.

    Eligible Project

        • be a new activity not repeated from previous Business Innovation projects;
        • be outside of and in addition to regular, recurring or ongoing operations, including editorial, production and distribution activities;

    Eligible Expenses

        • venue and equipment rental;
        • specialized software licensing during the project period only;
        • promotion and marketing costs;
        • professional fees;
        • Training;
        • project-related travel expenses;
        • project-related salary costs of employees (less than 25% – cannot be in-kind);
        • project-related overhead costs; and
        • costs of an audited financial report for the project (for contributions over $250,000).

    In-Kind Expenses

        • are essential to your project’s success;
        • are eligible and would otherwise have to be purchased or paid for by you;
        • can be measured at fair market value (i.e., in relation to similar goods and services);

    We reserve the right to limit the amount claimed as in-kind contribution.

    Project Examples

        • new or improved business models, methods, or processes;
        • new or improved products or services;
        • new or improved systems or tools;
        • digitization of back issues;
        • rebranding or redesign;
        • a special issue, outside of the regular publishing schedule (must be free);
        • adoption or use of new media;
        • mobile applications;
        • web design and development;
        • expansion into new markets; and
        • advertising and promotional campaigns.

    Deadline

    September 15, 2023
    Portal closes at 11h59 local time
    Paper applications must be received before 11h59 local time
    No extensions will be granted

    Portal

    https://pch-financement-funding.canada.ca/en-CA/fundingopportunities/

    Contact

    Email : fondsdesperiodiquescanada-canadaperiodicalfund@pch.gc.ca

    Telephone: 1-866-811-0055 (toll-free)

    President’s Report/Discussions:

        • Thomas Saras welcomed everyone to the online monthly meeting.
        • President Saras discussed the CNE Opening Ceremony that will take place on Sunday, August 20th at noon. We will be honouring the CG of the USA to Toronto, the CG of Serbia, the CNEA President, MPP Aris Babikian and Zis Parras of the CNE.
        • Entrance tickets can be arranged via Maria
        • We will also be hosting a reception after at The Beer Garden and since Maria may not be able to attend, Katerina will be making sure that everyone is taken care of.
        • The CNE booth will be staffed by Ricky and Demetre.
        • Mr. Saras asked all members to mail 25 copies of their latest issue to the office for display at the CNE.
        • President Saras explained that all Internship funding will be on hold until the Fall.
        • President Saras mentioned that we will be going through all outstanding LJI applications shortly and new applications will still be accepted. He also reminded all LJI recipients to email Maria their tech requests.
        • President Thomas Saras thanked all the members who generously donated to NEPMCC. Although the industry and our members are struggling financially, he encouraged everyone that can do so to donate.

    Adjournment:

    Ernesto Donan moved a motion to adjourn the meeting and Thanasis Kourtesis seconded it. The motion was carried. The Chair, Dr. Tajdolati adjourned the meeting at 8:15 PM. The next monthly meeting will take place on Monday, September 18, 2023, via Zoom.

    The above notes from the meeting of August 14, 2023, were prepared by Maria Saras-Voutsinas on behalf of Secretary General and Senior VP of the NEPMCC, Neel Nanda.