New Deal Opens The Way For Old TV Shows To Go Online

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Yomiuri: Unified body to coordinate actors' online rights
TV broadcasters will be able to put programs online more easily after three entertainment industry groups jointly create an organization to mediate between broadcasters and the various rights holders involved in creating such programs, sources said Monday. The three groups--the Japan Association of Music Enterprises (JAME), the Japan Council of Performers' Organizations (Geidankyo) and the Federation of Music Producers Japan (FMP)--will integrate their licensing services into the new organization so that broadcasters will be able to negotiate with actors and TV personalities more easily when trying to gain their approval for Internet-based distribution, the sources said. The new organization, which may be established as early as May, is expected to start licensing programs for Internet use from next April, the sources said. The establishment of the organization is expected to increase the number of shows -- including classic ones -- available online. JAME and FMP are composed of talent agencies, while Geidankyo is composed of actors...Before TV stations can distribute programs online, they must obtain permission from rights holders...But gaining approval from everyone who has appeared in a show has been the biggest obstacle for online distribution, as most programs involve a lot of actors and performers. Actors in old programs are often hard to locate, so broadcasters have been unable to distribute most shows on the Internet. The new organization is expected to serve as a one-stop center for broadcasters wishing to deal with rights holders so that they can make shows available online, which would mark a huge step in creating an environment in which people regularly watch programs online...more...

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