Union and advertisers in talks

Deal in new media adverts

The discussions have been instigated by the growing interest of broadcasters in “simulcasting” their programmes across the internet and on devices such as mobile phones. However, in the aftermath of a long-running dispute between Equity and the advertising producers that started in the mid-1990s, there was no deal in place that allowed the broadcasters rights to use the work of actors in advertisements on new media platforms.

The result was a blackout of all advertising on Channel 4 and ITV simulcast transmissions via the internet and mobile phones - a situation in which performers, broadcasters and producers were all losing out.

Now Equity and the IPA have agreed a deal that will allow the use of advertisements made under the provisions of the 1991 advertising agreement to be simulcast. This deal, which preserves the Television Ratings (TVR) element of payment, ensures that royalties for performers are linked to the audience for advertisements and provides a basic minimum standard for contracts.

The deal will run for an initial six months with the option of an extension of up to one year. In the interim Equity and the IPA have set up a joint working party to explore options for facilitating new media transmission of advertisements.

At the moment discussions are limited solely to the issue of using advertising on new media platforms. The IPA remains opposed to negotiating on Equity’s preferred position of an all-encompassing settlement for advertising production. However, it is hoped that the fact that advertisements produced under the broad scope of the 1991 agreement can be the only ones allowed to be simulcast will encourage an increased number of producers to use the union s preferred contracts.

“It is absolutely still Equity’s long term goal to establish a broad agreement that sets basic standards for all advertising production,” Jean Rogers, Equity Vice President, said. “We believe that such an agreement is in the interests of our members and, more widely, it is in the interest of the industry as a whole.”