Shaw Rocket Fund announces appointment of S. Wayne Clarkson to the Board of
Directors

TORONTO , Jan. 26 /CNW/ - The Shaw Rocket Fund, a proud financial supporter of Canadian children's and youth television programming, today announced the appointment of S. Wayne Clarkson to its Board of Directors.

"Wayne's vast experience in Canadian production industry will bring terrific benefits to the Rocket Fund. We welcome Wayne's fresh perspective in our planning to partner more with youth to forge the way to new thinking about kids and media," said Annabel Slaight , Chair of the Shaw Rocket Fund.

In 1978, Clarkson was appointed executive director of the Toronto International Film Festival (then known as the Festivals of Festivals). Under his directorship, the Festival developed into one of the most successful in the world. Clarkson was the founding Chair and CEO of the Ontario Film Development Corporation in 1986 and under his stewardship, the OFDC came to play an integral role in the development and production of quality, Canadian film and television. He served as executive director of the Canadian Film Centre in 1991, a Toronto-based educational institute devoted to training in film, TV and new media and administering the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival. Clarkson joined Telefilm Canada in 2005 as executive director and recently stepped down after five of his "most challenging yet most stimulating" years. Included in his next plans is hiking Spain's 800-kilometre Camino del Santiago .

About the Shaw Rocket Fund

The Shaw Rocket Fund is a permanent, independently governed, not-for-profit corporation that, working in partnership with youth, is dedicated to investing in the Canadian children's and youth production industry. Since 1998, the Shaw Rocket Fund has proudly invested $89 million towards this important genre. In addition to funding, the Shaw Rocket Fund awards $50,000 annually through its Shaw Rocket Prize for the best Canadian children's, youth or family program as selected by an esteemed international jury with the winner being voted for by children across Canada .

The Shaw Rocket Fund Board of Directors are Annabel Slaight , Chair retired founder of Owl Magazines, Books and Television; Janine "Gigi" Boyd, Vice-Chair and independent producer; and Ken Stein , Director and Senior Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs for Shaw Communications.

Contributors to the Fund are Shaw Communications, Shaw Pay Per View Ltd., a division of Shaw Cablesystems GP, Shaw Direct., EastLink Cablesystems, and Delta Cable Communications Ltd. For more information on the Shaw Rocket Fund and Shaw Rocket Prize, please visit www.rocketfund.ca

For further information: Media Contact: Christian Darbyshire, tinePublic Inc., Toronto [phone], Calgary [phone], [email protected]