Screenrights has announced a record $41.8 million distribution to members in FY2023/24, and that use of the Australian Educational Licence has grown once again with usage records up more than 30% on the previous year.
“Last financial year Screenrights reached another record year in distributions, and this achievement underscores our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our members receive fair and timely remuneration for the secondary uses of their work,” said Board Chair Kim Dalton. “The evolving nature of broadcasting in the age of streaming – in particular its impact on copyright and our members – remained a key focus for Screenrights over FY24. We are encouraged by the continued engagement of the Attorney-General of Australia Mark Dreyfus KC MP, whose Copyright Roundtables have provided a platform for various stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue about potential reforms.”
Access to screen content through the Australian Educational Licence continued to set new records with an increase of over 30% in raw usage records, and an analysis of data over the four years to FY23/24 demonstrates increases across all socio-economic demographics with the biggest relative increases in the less advantaged schools. “Most notably, the divide between affluent and under-resourced schools is closing: in FY24, students in the lowest ICSEA (Index of Community SocioEducational Advantage) range are engaging with more content per capita than their wealthiest counterparts did in FY20,” said Screenrights Chief Executive James Dickinson. “We are also pleased to announce a record year for license collections of $48.6 million through our Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand licensing schemes, and significant strides in our extensive digital transformation to enhance how we manage the ever-increasing data used by our systems.”
At its AGM held remotely on Thursday 28 November, Screenrights Company Secretary Natalie Buck announced the Board election results.
One new Director and three returning Directors were elected to the Screenrights Board. Michael McMahon joins the Board and will replace Karina Holden who is stepping down after three years on the Board. Michael was a founder and first Executive Chairman of Matchbox Pictures, and is currently a Director and Executive Producer of Big and Little Films. He is a former Board Director of VicScreen and Screen Tasmania, and is an Adjunct Professor of Film and Television at Swinburne University of Technology.
Returned to the Screenrights Board are: Kim Dalton, Director since 2015 and Chair since 2019; Georgina Waite Director since 2018 and Deputy Chair since 2019; and Jonathan Carter, Authorial (Music) Director since 2017. Screenrights sincerely thanks outgoing Director Karina Holden for her contributions to the Board over her term.
Further highlights from Screenrights’ 2023/24 year in review are available here. A full copy of the Annual Report will be available once it has been tabled in Parliament.
