SCREENRIGHTS NEWS

Screenrights Distributes Over $43.1 Million to Members in 2016/17

Screenrights has announced another successful year, with distribution of more than $43.1 million dollars to more than 3,000 individual members in the 2016/17 financial year.

Other highlights of the year include Screenrights successfully working with Government and stakeholders to amend the Australian Copyright Act to simplify Screenrights educational licence and a major redevelopment of Screenrights’ educational streaming service Enhance TV.

Screenrights CEO Simon Lake said that members registered over 1.46 million titles over the course of the year.

“Screenrights collected over $46.8 million from Screenrights’ education licences in Australia and New Zealand, retransmission licences, licences for copying by government, international collections and collections from the new disbursement service,” Mr Lake said.

“All of this has been achieved with a collections to expenses ratio of 15.8%.”

At its AGM held at the company’s office in Sydney last night, Screenrights also announced Board election results.

Joining the Screenrights Board is Larissa Berehndt. Professor Berehndt is a Eualeyai/Kamillaroi woman. She is the Professor of Law and Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney. She is admitted to the Supreme Court of the ACT and NSW as a barrister, she is a Land Commissioner at the Land and Environment Court and the Alternate Chair of the Serious Offenders Review Board, a member of the Academy of Social Sciences of Australia and a founding member of the Australian Academy of Law. She is the Chair of the Humanities and Creative Arts panel of the Australian Research Council College of Experts and the author of several books on Indigenous legal issues. Professor Berehndt won the 2002 David Uniapon Award and a 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize for her novel Home and her latest novel, Legacy, is due for release in October this year. She is also a Board Member of the Museum of Contemporary Art, a board member of Tranby Aboriginal College and a Director of the Bangarra Dance Theatre.

Re-elected to the Screenrights Board are Anne Chesher (Educational Consultant), Victoria Spackman (Director of Te Auaha, the New Zealand Institute of Creativity) and Cathy Service (Chief Operating Officer with KJA Engaging Solutions).

Screenrights Chair Jill Bryant said: “We are delighted to welcome Larissa Berehndt to the Screenrights Board.

“The Board will ensure that Screenrights continues to actively promote the important role of copyright in the economy and to our members. We thank all Screenrights’ voting members for their interest and participation in this year’s elections.”

Jill Bryant also paid tribute to retiring director Fiona Crago: “Fiona has been an active Director for the last 6 years and has brought considerable expertise to the Board with her extensive industry knowledge and expereince.”

At the AGM Bryant also announced a new Cultural Fund to stimulate innovation, research discussion and experiment in the creation and reach of new audiovisual works in Australia and New Zealand.

More information on the principles under which the Fund will operate, its guidelines and submission details will be available early in 2018.

Screenrights CEO Simon Lake said: “We look forward to an exciting year ahead in which we will continue to develop our services and work closely with the screen industry, government, educators and consumers.”

Media enquiries: Tracey Mair, TM Publicity Ph: 02 8333 9066 or 0419 221 493

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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.