New Media Rights in UK: Broadcasters Fighting Back

This storm has been brewing in UK for some time now and we have been covering it regularly…some more activity around it at the Oxford Media Convention which happened last week. The controversy and split is around TV show rights and who can exploit the new distribution mediums and for how long.

UK media and telecom regulator Ofcom has given these TV companies and content production companies two months to sort it out or they would step in with their own regulations.

Channel 4 is the one most militant about its own rights: Finance director Anne Bulford said at the convention that her company cannot afford to see its shows being made available via broadband or mobile within days of their first TV transmission. Bulford added that Channel 4 wanted to be able to do a deal with independent producers for new media rights at the same time as negotiating the budget and production fee for a new programme commission.

David Frank, CEO of indie production company RDF Media said the independent producers were keen to reach a compromise and were “not at war” with Channel 4.

Meanwhile, in Wales, Welsh-language broadcaster S4C has negotiated a deal with its independent producers alliance over new media broadband rights.

Related:

UK Regulator Gives Two Months For New Media Rights Settlement

Channel 4 UK Delays Broadband Launch Due To Rights

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