Glossary

TermDefinition
Administration feeThe admin fee charged by Screenrights, to cover the basic cost of offering the royalty collection services we offer.
Artistic worksWorks of artistic craftmanship, including paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, photographs and other works of ‘artistic craftsmanship’.
AssignTo legally transfer rights. Under Australian law, copyright ownership may be completely assigned without restriction.
ClaimThe details provided by a member to Screenrights at the time of registration indicating the extent of their entitlement to collect royalties for a title, including:



  • The type of royalties that the member is claiming (e.g. educational copying/communication royalties);

  • Countries that the member wishes to claim royalties from; and

  • The percentage claim of each copyright material being Film, Script and Commissioned Sound Recordings.


Collecting Societies Collecting societies collect royalties for distribution to their members.
Collection periodAlso known as ‘validity period’. The period in which you hold the right to collect royalties accrued during your rights period.
Commissioned Sound RecordingsA sound recording of a musical work created pursuant to a commissioning agreement by which the copyright in the sound recording is assigned to the commissioner.
CommunicateIncludes the right to make available online and electronically transmit by email, or by making programs available on an internal network.
Compliant registrationA registration that is complete for the purposes of matching the registration to royalties collected by Screenrights.
Competing claimThis occurs when Screenrights receives registrations for the same royalty from two or more members.
CopyrightCopyright is a bundle of economic rights which give their owner the exclusive right to do certain things in relation to copyright protected material, including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, sound recordings, films and television and radio broadcasts. Generally, exclusive rights can include the right to copy and communicate one’s work to the public, including broadcasting and making copyright material available on the internet.
Distribution PeriodThe period that Screenrights has to distribute the royalties it collects. The period starts at the end of the financial year in which the royalties were generated. The Distribution Policy sets out that the Distribution Period is six years.
EventAn instance of copying, communication or retransmission of a Broadcast (AU) or Communication Work (NZ).
Event DateThe date that the Event occurred. May also be referred to as ‘Earn Date’ or ‘Date Earned’.
FilmA cinematograph film as defined in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) or as defined in the Copyright Act 1994 (NZ).
Goods and Services Tax (GST)A 10% sales tax on most goods and services transactions in Australia.  GST applies only to Screenrights’ administration fee, as royalties are neither a good nor a service.
IBNR (Incurred But Not Reported) FundIBNR Fund means the Screenrights reserve fund from which payments may be
made in accordance with the rules made and published by the Board pursuant to
Clause 19.1(i) of the Screenrights Constitution.
Mandatory informationAlso known as “mandatory details” or “mandatory data”. Refers to certain information that is essential to your registration being accepted as compliant by Screenrights.
MyScreenrightsOur online member portal where members can manage their Screenrights membership.
Principal A person who appoints an agent to act on their behalf.
RetransmissionA retransmission of a free-to-air broadcast where the content of the broadcast is unaltered and the retransmission is simultaneous with the original transmission; or if the retransmission is in an area that has wholly or partly, different local time to the area od the original transmission the retransmission is delayed until no later than the equivalent local time, as defined in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).
Rights periodThe period for which you hold rights to a program.
RightsholderA person or entity that owns or controls a right to receive Screenrights royalties.
Royalty Withholding Tax (RWT)An amount withheld from payments made to members outside of Australia and New Zealand in accordance with taxation requirements. The set rate varies due to factors such as double-taxation treaties concluded between Australia and New Zealand and other countries, and can be between 5% and 30%.
ScriptA literary or dramatic work as defined in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) or as defined in Copyright Act 1994 (NZ).
Secondary RoyaltiesThe royalties triggered from the secondary use of a work that extends from a primary use. With regard to Screenrights royalties, the broadcast of a program is a “primary use” and the copying, communicating or retransmission of the program are “secondary uses”.
Statutory deadlineScreenrights has six years to distribute the royalties we collect, after which they expire and any undistributed funds are rolled over into the following year’s distribution pool. The statutory deadline falls on the 30 or last business day of June each year.
Validity PeriodAlso known as ‘Collection Period’.
Year of productionThe year production commenced on the program.
Year of releaseThe year that your program was released to an audience, whether theatrically, on television, at a festival or other event, or via distribution on DVD or other media.

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Screenrights acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.