Copyright Licensing Ltd Support Collective Admin.

Copyright Licensing Ltd

MEDIA RELEASE

11 JUNE 2001

For immediate release

Copyright Licensing Ltd: urges Government to support collective administration of copyright; and announces a new fund for New Zealand writers

Copyright Licensing Limited urges the government to give more support to achieve effective copyright protection for writers and publishers, in line with governments in other countries.

In its annual report for the year 2000, CLL claims that the expanded licensing would bring higher returns and the resulting extra protection would promote dynamic cultural development.

International experience has shown that copyright collecting societies have found it difficult to license in areas where infringement is a problem unless governments lead the way by providing effective legislative support, and by licensing within their own sector. Government departments in New Zealand rely on the copying provisions of the Copyright Act provided for libraries to escape licensing.

CLL also emphasises the significant role copyright licensing can play in contributing to the growth of the knowledge economy by rewarding copyright owners for the public use of their material, and encouraging further creativity.

Copyright owners in New Zealand and overseas will receive $4.6 million of the funds CLL has collected from licensed institutions in New Zealand since licensing began in 1994. Of the gross revenue for 2000 of $2.2 million, a total of 74% (or $1.6 million) will be distributed to rightsholders.

The educational sector’s reliance on foreign works means that a large proportion of these funds currently goes offshore. With positive encouragement of literary and academic writing here, this situation could change.

To further encourage creativity, CLL is planning to establish a fund for New Zealand writers from a small, annual deduction from licensing revenue.

Copyright Licensing Ltd—the recognised reproduction rights organisation (RRO) in New Zealand for books, periodicals and journals—acts on behalf of publishers and authors from around the world in providing licensing services for the reproduction of extracts from such works.

The non-profit company, jointly owned by the Book Publishers Association of NZ and the NZ Society of Authors, was established in 1988. Since licensing began in 1994, CLL has collected $6.2 million from educational users in New Zealand of which $4.6 million has been allocated for distribution to rightsholders.

RROs exist in many countries of the world; most are members of IFRRO, the International Federation of RROs, which has its headquarters in Brussels. Through a network of reciprocal agreements with other RROs each organisation can provide licences for the copying of millions of titles published throughout the world.

ENDS

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