Posted on Tuesday, August 04, 2009.

News release: August 4, 2009

Fred Fuchs, Executive Director, Arts & Entertainment Programming Television, CBC and Mary Powers, President, M. Powers Communications are the newest members of Canada’s entertainment industry to join the board of directors of the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI). Cindy Witten, Director General, English Programs, National Film Board of Canada is also a recent board addition.

"NSI has a terrific board with leaders from all facets of the Canadian screen industry," says Susan Millican, CEO of NSI. "Now it’s even stronger with Fred, Mary and Cindy as members. Their valuable experience in film, TV and interactive media give them unique views on the challenges these sectors face in Canada. They will help to round out the broad skills already on our board. The depth of perspectives on the NSI board will help shape how NSI can provide content creators with relevant training opportunities."

About Fred Fuchs

Fred Fuchs is currently Executive Director, Arts & Entertainment Programming Television, for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In this role he is responsible for Drama, Comedy, Variety, Performing Arts, Music, and Children and Youth content.

A 25-year veteran of the entertainment industry, most of Fuchs’ career has been as an independent producer responsible for many successful film and television productions. As a result of his success with the classic children’s series Faerie Tale Theatre, Fuchs worked with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola producing the feature film Tucker: The Man and the Dream. Other projects have included feature films Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Godfather, Part III, The Secret Garden and The Virgin Suicides, and the Emmy-nominated mini-series The Odyssey and Moby Dick.

Upon moving to Canada in 2001 he worked with Extend Media, an interactive media company. He then became involved in a number of Canadian independent features including The End of Silence. His first foray into Canadian TV was producing What It’s Like Being Alone for CBC. He spent a year working as a consultant for Peace Arch Entertainment, helping to build their US business. During this time, he was also responsible for developing and financing The Tudors TV series before joining the CBC full-time.

About Mary Powers

A respected communications veteran, Mary Powers is President M. Powers Communications, specialising in strategic communications and brand management. Powers enjoyed a long and prominent career in broadcasting with CHUM Limited, where she directed all communications in both the domestic and international marketplace as well as investor relations and corporate sponsorship for the publicly traded company. She then became SVP Corporate Communications for Canada's leading broadcaster CTVglobemedia, prior to launching her own firm.

Recognised for her support of the broadcasting industry, Mary has been active on numerous industry boards including serving as chair of The Banff World Television Festival Foundation, chair of the international marketing and promotion association PROMAX as well as past board member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television and the CWC. She also served as Chair of the communications committee for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and was a member of the Toronto International Film Festival marketing committee.

About Cindy Witten

In February 2008, Cindy Witten became the new Director General of the National Film Board of Canada’s English Program, responsible for English-language programming in documentary, animation, alternative drama and new media. Cindy oversees productions and co-productions with independent filmmakers, digital content creators and producers across Canada, through six regional production centres as well as the Oscar®-winning Animation Studio.

Witten began her career as Current Affairs director/news producer at CBC Toronto, becoming the senior producer of Big Life With Daniel Richler at CBC Newsworld, and a director/journalist at The National. She then became a production executive for Lifestyle/Factual at HGTV Canada, Life Network and History Television before moving to History Television, BBC Canada and National Geographic Channel Canada as Vice President of Original Production. Prior to joining the NFB in 2008, Witten was Vice President of Content at History Television.

She has also served on the Industry Board for the World Congress of History Producers, the Hot Docs International Advisory Council and the Advisory Board for the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival.

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