Global Television Formats: The Commercial and Legal Aspects of Developing, Producing and Exploiting Power Formats [SOLD OUT!]

Reality television is unquestionably big business with the estimated global value of the television format trade between 2002 and 2006 being EURO 6.4 billion (“The Global Trade in Television Formats”, (2005) Screen Digest and FRAPA).  The international arena for the licensing of a particular format is ideal for a programme which has already established its commercial significance in its domestic territory by virtue of measured audience viewing figures, and has real potential to generate profit from its adaptation and wider exploitation in a foreign country.  

The United Kingdom (UK) is celebrated as a truly creative hub for popular programming.  British exports such as ‘Pop Idol’, ‘The Weakest Link’ and ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ have enjoyed worldwide acclaim and the UK sits somewhat regally as the second largest exporter which offers much encouragement for British innovative minds across the talent spectrum to engage in the creative process and produce exciting new formats for the international stage.  Research indicates that in the first quarter of 2007 alone, the UK had a rather imposing 40% share of the worldwide entertainment format market (FremantleMedia) positioning it in an elite class.

Having a sound grasp of the commercial and legal issues pertaining to television formats can certainly give a producer a competitive advantage and significantly hedge the perpetual risk of a concept for a programme format being made into a rival adaptation by “copycats” in the industry.   

This powerful seminar provides a crucial insight into the pre-production, production and post-production practical commercial and legal considerations for a television format creator.  There will be an opportunity to discuss any issue relating to the subject-matter of the seminar with an in-house consultant on a one-on-one basis. 

The seminar is led by Ajeet Minhas, a Senior Partner at Minhas & Dixon LLP and Head of Legal and Commercial Affairs.  He is a certified Master of the Laws in Entertainment Business Law which has significantly widened his appreciation and understanding of the key issues (past, present and future) that impinge on the ability of creative individuals and businesses to develop and exploit their products in a highly competitive marketplace.  Ajeet successfully trained as a commercial lawyer at the College of Law (London) with a view to augmenting his practical knowledge and experience from a commercial and legal practitioner’s standpoint before pursuing specialist interests in the media business consultancy profession.  He has gathered vital experience in advising on and handling both domestic and international commercial agreements with particular focus on intellectual property rights in music, film and television industry deals.

To request further information, please email Seminars@minhasanddixon.com