*Court upholds Copyright Board decision

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld the Copyright Board’s tv copyright decision which ruled that all music played on television can be directly licensed.

The tv copyright decision gives composers the choice to manage their rights individually or through their collective. If they opt for individual management, broadcasters will now have the ability to pay performing rights royalties directly to composers. Payments negotiated directly with broadcasters will no longer be subject to a formula devised by a collective. Broadcasters will still be required to pay socan’s administrative costs.

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters has registered its support of the Federal Court ruling.

*Selling the World at Banff 99

Selling the World is a new addition to this year’s Banff Television Festival program. The seminar strand will give program distributors an opportunity to sell new or existing documentary, fiction, children’s and comedy/entertainment projects to international acquisitions executives.

Selling the World will also feature a Canadian Showcase where Canadian distributors can exhibit their work.

For Banff’s Master Class series, the lineup of guests to date includes writer/producer Tom Fontana, whose credits include St. Elsewhere and Homicide: Life on the Street; Suzette Couture, cocreator of the new ctv series The City; and interactive designer Greg Roach of Hyperbole Studio.