Directors UK wants share of online cash

Directors UK is preparing to launch a campaign to secure for directors up to 5% of the revenue made from the online advertising surrounding their content.

The new trade body plans to renegotiate the terms of the Rights Agreement, which is up for review with Pact and all UK broadcasters in 2011. It is likely to begin preliminary meetings with broadcasters over the next six months.

In the US, directors are entitled to between 2% and 3% of the distributor's gross for online content. There is no similar agreement in the UK, where broadcasters currently pay a one-off sum to the production company for online rights.

Directors UK chief executive Suzan Dormer said that although it was "early days", negotiating a take of new media revenue would be "of enormous importance" for directors.

Directors UK board member Peter Kosminsky added that while most broadcasters were making little revenue from new media now, "the internet's capabilities are improving all the time". He added: "It will be easier to negotiate for a little bit of nothing now, than to get broadcasters to hand over thousands in the future."


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