[Press Release by Screenrights]
A record $30 million dollars has been collected by Screenrights during the 07/08 financial year, including the first income collected from the use of material copied by federal and state government departments.
For the same period, distributions totalled $20.2 million, including the first distribution of retransmission royalties. Screenrights also increased its international reach by extending into South America and Africa.
The announcements were made today at the company’s AGM held in Sydney.
Screenrights Chairman Jill Bryant noted the long and sustained period of growth for the company and said “Screenrights’ reputation as a dynamic and innovative company that finds solutions in a rapidly changing environment is a well-earned one.
“I have every faith in our continued capacity to play a vital role in tomorrow’s copyright landscape, working effectively for the film and television industry and for the audiences that love their work.”
Screenrights Chief Executive Simon Lake said “as technology has changed so have we. Screenrights has consistently delivered strong returns to filmmakers from a growing range of licences that meet the needs of audiences in watching, copying and communicating audiovisual material across a range of media.
“Retransmission is fast becoming an important means of distributing and communicating audiovisual material.
“During 2007/8 we entered our first licence agreements for retransmission of television on mobile phones and we expect this market to continue expand with further agreements in negotiations. Screenrights provides licences with pay television operators, new housing developments and hospitals.
“Australian educators are able to copy from free to air and cable and satellite broadcasts. The Screenrights licence covers podcasting and vodcasting from broadcasters’ websites and innovative digital delivery mechanisms such as Clickview, Command Systems and RMIT Publishing’s Informit service.”
“In 07/08 documentaries make up over 45% of programmes that are copied and communicated in Australian classrooms. Over 75% of the royalties that Screenrights distributed went to Australian rights holders. This is a stunning result for Australian producers and shows emphatically that there is an appetite for Australian content”, Simon Lake said.
Total collections in 2007/2008 $30.1 million
• $4.58 million – Australian Retransmission Royalties
• $22.62 million – Australian Education Service
• $1.54 million – New Zealand Educational Service
• $0.95 million – International Collections
• $0.4 million – Australian Government Service
Total distribution $20.2 million
• $12.7 million Australian members
• $2.6 million Australian Collecting Societies
• $4.9 million overseas members