Pact launch intellectual property ‘rights strategy’

Pact has launched a 'rights strategy' to drive the exploitation and protection of on-screen intellectual property rights in the UK.
The strategy has been created in response to the changing business environment for UK producers, who, as a result of the Communications Act, are now rights owning businesses.
Key to this strategy is the launch of a Rights Policy Group, comprised of representatives from companies who have experience in rights exploitation across a variety of platforms, including production, television programme sales, format sales, licensing and merchandising, video/DVD, publishing, interactive media/mobile and legal/business affairs.
The new policy group is to be chaired by Louise Pederson, managing director of All3 Media international, and previously managing director of international sales at Carlton.
The Rights Policy Group will have a three-pronged agenda: To create and drive robust and sustainable policy initiatives across all areas of on-screen intellectual property rights exploitation and protection in the UK; To oversee the development of member services across all areas of rights exploitation and protection. These will include events, workshops, training courses, business affairs support, the provision of model contracts and industrial relations advice; And to promote Pact members intellectual property to buyers, domestically and globally.
Key to Pact's rights strategy will be the presentation to government of a coherent and consensual industry voice. As such Pact is discussing a potential merger between its new Rights Policy Group and the UK distributors' trade body, the British Television Distributors' Association (BTDA). If the merger is agreed by BTDA member companies, a number of former BTDA board members will be invited to join the new Group, including representatives from the broadcaster-owned distribution companies.
In addition to the Rights Policy Group, Pact has also launched a rights exploitation membership category. Companies who want to take advantage of the new services Pact is developing can join this new category, which has a banded pricing structure, based on turnover.
(GB)