The City of Salmon Arm has agreed to contribute up to $10,800 to get air play on the Today in America Show hosted by Terry Bradshaw.
The decision comes in response to a request from the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society (SAEDS), which was approached by the show. The show is running a series called Canada’s Hidden Gems, The Best Places to Live, Work and Play.
According to a letter from the economic development society’s Lana Fitt to the city, the television show “selected a number of communities to research for this series and after several conference calls, Salmon Arm has been selected to be included.”
Mayor Nancy Cooper and the city’s chief administrative officer Carl Bannister participated in the calls.
Fitt says the show producers work with the community to develop the story, which is then narrated by Bradshaw. A film crew spends one day in Salmon Arm to shoot footage of sites pre-approved by the community.
“The participation agreement gives the community editorial control over the script, the footage and the final product.”
She notes there is a scheduling fee of $24,800 US, which gives the community full licence to use the final footage.
Already, seven local organizations have committed $2,000 each to the project, with the possibility of more forthcoming.
The seven are: the economic development society, the chamber of commerce, Shuswap Hospital Foundation, Shuswap Tourism, Downtown Salmon Arm, Community Futures Shuswap and SCIP (Shuswap Construction Industry Professionals).
The city’s contribution will be reduced accordingly if more organizations come onboard.
A working group is being formed with representatives from each of the organizations to develop the story, identify the shoot locations and approve/edit the final drafts, says Fitt. In addition, all participating organizations will be provided the final footage for their own use.
The Salmon Arm segment will make up five minutes of the half-hour show, and the show will air 35 times over a 90-day period – once on the Discovery Channel across the U.S., once on Canada’s Business News Network, and in 33 regional slots that Salmon Arm will select, based on target markets.
The television show’s website notes that the show is “geared towards the educated, affluent viewer.”
Fitt’s letter concludes: “Participating community partners, including SAEDS, feel that the deliverables of a five-minute, professionally produced segment, airing on 35 television slots across Canada and the United States, coupled with the license for use of the end product, creates an advantageous marketing opportunity for Salmon Arm.”