Date:08/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/08/stories/2006010814290300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Channels must pay for film clippings

Staff Reporter

The Film Producers Council to get prime time slots in popular channels

CHENNAI: The Film Producers Council on Saturday decided on various measures relating to the grant of audio and video rights of films to the electronic media, including satellite television, the Internet, or use for ring tones in mobile phones.

A meeting organised by the Council, with president Satyajothi Thyagarajan in the chair, discussed the related issues with its 200-plus members and decided that from Pongal day, film and song visual clippings would be given only to satellite TV channels which secure the rights by paying the required tariff.

Producers can give three-minute trailers to all channels. The council would get prime time slots on popular satellite channels for advertising films irrespective of their budget. The producers should not grant satellite rights along with screening rights in theatres abroad.

Producers whose films have not been sold till now can do so by giving Indian satellite rights, foreign release rights and audio rights for five years.

Model agreement

The producers were asked to use only the model agreement prescribed by the council and delete certain words such as "future technology" in the form.

While signing agreements for audio rights, the producers must ensure it was not for visuals in the song or for using them for ring tones in mobile phones.

Vice-presidents, "Anbalaya" Prabhakaran and A.M. Rathnam and secretary V. Sekar participated in the discussion.