Women in Media Foundation.

The Women in Media Foundation, originally called The Women’s Television Network Foundation, was formed in 1995 as part of the licenses agreement with the CRTC in launching the Women’s Television Network. Funded by the cable network, the foundation aimed to develop programs to assist women in areas of broadcasting where they are underrepresented, specifically technical operation positions.

Their Mission Statement and Core Principals were “At the WTN Foundation we inspire and educate Canadian women to participate and lead in the multi-media industry. In so doing we believe In diversity, equity, creative, excellence, integrity and learning.”

The foundation offered multiple programs and workshops to promote women in media and broadcast technology fields. The Girls TV Camp offered training for pre-teen and teenage girls as television technicians. The Women’s Technical Internship offered young women experience in hands on job skills in media and broadcasting technology and the Women’s Television Network dowment, was an educational fund to assist professional women in broadcasting and media to update their technology skills. Other programs and workshops included gender equity workshops, speaking engagements, creating lesson plans in video production for teachers and a girls travelling documentary team, taking girls to educational and technology courses across Canada.

In 2001 Corus Entertainment bought the Women’s Television Network, and moved all operations from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Toronto, Ontario. The media conglomerate planned on terminating the foundation. However, the foundation put forth a proposal to continue its funding by highlighting their accomplishments, their necessity, as well as the CRTC criteria in granting a license to the cable channel in 1995. Corus Entertainment agreed to continue funding the foundation until it wound down in 2008.