Screenrights has collected $42 million in licensing revenue and other income for the film and television industries during 2013/14, with expenses at 14.91% of collections.
Some $36.2 million was distributed to members, 10.6% below the $40.5 million disbursed in 2012/13.
The results were announced at the AGM in Sydney on October 30. Screenrights Chief Executive Simon Lake said, “Screenrights has once again delivered strong results across all areas of our business during the 2013-2014 financial year.
“Screenrights’ goal is to provide simple, technology neutral access to audiovisual content for audiences across the country and in New Zealand and that is what we are doing. Our educational licences reach more than 5.8 million students in Australia and New Zealand. They enable teachers, academics and students to use broadcast material in lecture theatres, on smart whiteboards, on their own computers and on mobile devices, whether they are at work or at home.
“We want to ensure that our licences work in the digital classroom and we work closely with a range of innovative resource centres that provide archives of content to educators.
“Screenrights also licenses the retransmission of members’ works into the homes of subscription television subscribers, and via mobile phones and IPTV. The five year deal with Foxtel ensures subscription television consumers continue to enjoy the benefits of free to air television through their Foxtel service and providing payment to rightsholders. “
Anne Chesher a teacher, curriculum specialist and education resource writer, joins re-elected board members Victoria Spackman, co-owner and CEO of the Gibson Group (Wellington); Fiona Crago, former GM of Beyond Distribution and Cathy Service, COO for KJA Strategic Communications and Engagement consultancy.
Amongst the highlights for 2013/14 Screenrights:
• Delivered an upgraded version of EnhanceTV Direct, our streaming service for educators across the country.
• Reached agreement with Foxtel on the terms of a new five year deal for Foxtel retransmission of free to air broadcasts.
• Made more than 2,260 individual payments to members with a total distribution of more than $34.92 million.
• Worked closely with stakeholders in responding to the Australian Law Reform Commission Review into copyright.
• Upgraded our online portal for members, MyScreenrights, and our royalty distribution database.
• Established a new disbursement service for members.
Screenrights Chairman Jill Bryant said “the role and importance of copyright in encouraging innovation and ensuring a vibrant digital economy continues to be hotly debated, both nationally and internationally. Policy makers are grappling with the same fundamental questions around the globe: how can we ensure that copyright keeps abreast of rapid technological change while providing fair payment to creators and fair access to consumers? It is a difficult balance and one that Screenrights is very much aware of in a real and practical sense.”
At the AGM tribute was paid to Screenrights’ founding director and first chairman, Allison Rowe, who passed away in June. Bryant said, “Allison was a director from 1990-2012 and was the first female chairman of an Australian copyright collection society. She used her position at the ABC to advocate for the creation of Screenrights and much of our success is grounded in the creative vision that Allison had for our future. Her legacy lives on at Screenrights.”