info sheet - schools
New Zealand
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Television & radio: tape it, screen it, keep it.
Television and radio is an important educational resource. Recordings of documentaries, current affairs, news, movies and other programmes can enhance teaching in a wide range of subjects.
Under the New Zealand Copyright Act, copyright owners in these programmes have a general right to control the taping of their material and to charge a fee for this use. However, the Act balances the right of copyright owners to earn a living from their work with the need for educational access to this material.
Special provisions allow schools, universities and polytechnics to use television and radio without having to obtain copyright clearances.
You simply need to take out a Screenrights licence for an annual fee, and your school can then tape, screen and keep programmes for teaching purposes. The money that Screenrights collects is distributed to the copyright owners whose material is taped.
What is Screenrights?
Screenrights is a non-profit organisation whose members own copyright in film, television and radio. We represent producers, distributors, writers, music copyright owners and other rights owners from around the world.
What does a Screenrights television and radio licence let me do?
A Screenrights licence lets your school tape anything from television or radio without having to obtain permission. This includes both pay and free to air broadcasts and cable transmissions.
You can copy entire programmes or excerpts. You can also make as many copies of a program as you like. Programmes can be copied at home or in the school. The only requirement is that the copying must be for the educational purposes of the school. This means you can screen these programmes in class as part of a course, or keep them as a resource in the library.
With a Screenrights licence, you can:
- Copy any programme, anytime, anywhere
- Copy entire programmes or excerpts
- Make copies of copies
- Show tapes in class as part of a course or keep them in the library.
- Copy in any format - VHS, CD, DVD, PC
You should also note that the licence does not cover the copying of pre-recorded material, such as bought or hired videos. Copying this material without permission from the copyright owner might infringe copyright.
Can I make a copy for another school?
Yes, schools can make a copy of a copy for each other, provided, of course, both schools have a Screenrights licence. However, you cannot borrow (or lend) copies between schools.
How do I find out what programmes are relevant?
Screenrights emails a weekly television guide to all licensed schools. This guide is divided into different learning areas to give you information about upcoming programmes relevant to the areas in which you teach. To subscribe to the guide, email school@screenrights.org with your name, and the name of your school.
What happens if we don't have a Screenrights licence?
Under the New Zealand Copyright Act, where an unlicensed school copies a programme covered by the licence, the school may be liable for copyright infringement unless permission from all the relevant copyright owners has been obtained.
Do we have to label copies?
Any copies you make under the licence must be labeled with the name of the school for which the copy was made, the title of the programme, the date of the broadcast and the date on which the copy was made, if this is different. For example:
Do we have to keep records of everything we copy?
No. Screenrights needs to monitor taping in order to determine who needs to be paid. However, we recognise that keeping a record of everything you copy would be administratively onerous. For that reason, Screenrights monitors copying by means of a statistical sample. Schools that have entered the licence agreement will only be required to keep records for a short period (no longer than 14 weeks) when they are selected to be surveyed. Schools will be notified prior to the survey taking place and full training will be given to key staff. All copying information is confidential.
How do I obtain a Screenrights licence?
This is simple. Each year, about May, STA send an invoice to your school covering all copyright licences. Just make sure you tick the Screenrights box on the STA copyright invoice.
Alternatively, email licensing@screenrights.org and we will forward the necessary documents to you.
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