UKTelevisionRightsAgreementnegotiationupdate

Dear Members,

Our current three year UK TV Rights deal with the Broadcasters and Producers ran out last summer and we are currently in the middle of a new negotiation.

Three years ago we succeeded in increasing the amount that the Broadcasters and Producers paid for these rights by 150%; at the same time we made it clear that we still felt that our rights were seriously undervalued and that we wanted to achieve a fairer deal based on a series of agreed principles and shared research. We undertook that research and it forms a crucial part of the current negotiation. It is very important that we succeed as it should set a proper standard that will determine our income in years to come.

At the moment there is some distance between what we believe is the correct valuation and what the Broadcasters and Producers are offering but we are in a strong position - firstly because our case is a good one and secondly because, in the event of no agreement being reached, the copyright in all directors’ future work reverts to DUK and the Broadcasters and Producers would have to negotiate with us individually programme by programme - something that they do not wish to do. It is in all our interests to reach a fair and reasoned agreement and that is our intention but it is also important that you, our members, understand the process we are embarked on.

Andrew Chowns has prepared a more detailed report of the position we have reached and what happens next, and you can read this here.

Charles Sturridge, Chair

Beryl Richards, Vice Chair

Tom Roberts, Vice Chair