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Cannes/MIPTV

Location:

Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France
Riviera Hall, National Geographic stand number R29.41
Time:

9:00am – 9.30am

Agenda:

1.Annual Financial Statements FRAPA 2012 (att. AFR)

- asking for approval

2. Discharge of the current Management Board
- asking for approval

3. Dismissal of the current Management
Board and Election of a new Management Board according to § 11 (4) (b) of the FRAPA statutes

- asking for approval

4. Dissolution/Liquidation of the German
FRAPA according to § 16 (1) of the FRAPA statutes

- asking for approval
5. Appointment of the liquidator(s). (asking the membersmeeting for approval to mandate the board

to appoint a liquidator/liquidators)

6. Transfer of the Association’s assets to the new Association

- asking for approval

7. Founding of FRAPA in the Netherlands (att. Articles of the Association NL)

- asking for approval

8. Terms and Conditions (will be published on the FRAPA website at the latest March 21st 2013)

- asking for approval

Win up to €25,000 in development funding from Warner Bros. International Television Production

New Ideas. New Talent. New Formats.

MIPFormats International Pitch competition was open to all creators and producers from around the world, to present their innovative concepts for new, non-scripted entertainment formats. Exclusive sponsorWarner Bros. International Television Production will invest up to €25,000 to develop the winning project.

All pitch entries will go before a panel of international format experts from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution Inc.; Warner Horizon; Warner Bros. Television; Shed Media; Blazhoffski and Nathalie Wogue, former Chief International Officer, Endemol France.

The finalists will take the stage in Cannes on Sunday 7 April to pitch live at MIPFormats.

Enter the MIPFormats International Pitch.

The 4^th annual MIPFormats takes place from 6-7 April 2013.

MIPFormats stimulates creative thinking and brings the formats community together for two days of discovery & insights.

The announcement was made last night by Ute Biernat at the sixth annual C21/FRAPA Format Awards in Cannes, France, which was attended by some 200 FRAPA members and format-industry luminaries.

Under Biernat’s tenure, FRAPA has undergone a rebranding and restructuring programming, launching several new initiatives and expanding its suite of services to reflect the format industry’s evolving needs. In recent years, it has introduced a new mediation service with UN agency WIPO, added a unique price calculator to its redesigned website, launched world-first format bible and contract generator tools, published several definitive surveys on the global trade in television formats, and established its annual awards ceremony in Cannes as the industry’s most prestigious red-carpet event.

Geneste will carry forward Biernat’s vision of creating a “global community, a networking forum, an advice shop, an information resources and an industry thought-leader” for the formats industry. Her plans for continued growth include forging new partnerships with like-minded organisations and expanding FRAPA’s programme of events, opening some up to non-FRAPA members.

Geneste said: “I am very happy with the development that FRAPA has shown over the past few years and the willingness of the board and our members to make our Association bigger, stronger and more relevant. My watchwords as I take over the FRAPA chair are ‘passion’ and ‘respect’ — passion for the job, respect for our product, passion for the format business and, most of all, respect for the creators without whom this industry would simply not exist.”

Biernat, who will remain on the FRAPA board, added: “I will look back with great affection — and satisfaction — at my seven years as chair of FRAPA. FRAPA is a unique organisation and I know it will continue to flourish in Patty’s capable hands. Patty is an experienced and respected format veteran with a huge network of friends and contacts around the globe. She has also been a valuable board member for past two and a half years, so she has a real insight into the challenges that FRAPA faces as it moves forward into its second decade. I wish her the best of luck.”

About FRAPA:
FRAPA – the Format Recognition and Protection Association — is an international body dedicated to the protection of formats. Established in 2000 by a group of key industry professionals, FRAPA new represents numerous companies from within the television and broadcast industry. Its members include format creators, producers, distributors and broadcasters.
As an independent, non-profit association, FRAPA’s key services include registering format proposals; mediating disputes arising out of claims of format plagiarism; creating guidelines for fair competition; and educating the industry and the law regarding the protection of formats.

For more information, please contact:
Simone Lenzen
Press Officer
FRAPA – Format Recognition and Protection Association e.V.
T 49 (0) 221 9955-1106
F 49 (0) 221 9955-2999
www.frapa.org
lenzen@frapa.org

FRAPA brings together format creators from around the world to protect their intellectual property rights.  In 2000, Lyle helped found the organization and served as chairman until 2006.  Often called upon as an expert to lecture internationally on the topic, he was granted the Gold Award for his for his “services to the global format.”  Previous recipients include Reg Grundy, Peter Bazalgette, Merv Griffin and 2011’s recipient, Deal or No Deal creator Dick de Rijk.

FRAPA board member Michel Rodrigue said, “Lyle has made a major contribution to what is now a US$5 billion industry.  We are grateful for his integral role in founding FRAPA and his ongoing role in helping the wider entertainment business understand the concept of intellectual property.”

Added FRAPA chair Ute Biernat, “What David has done for FRAPA and the format industry is outstanding.  He absolutely deserves the award.  I’ve never seen him as surprised as when we ambushed his presentation at MIP to present the award; it was a pleasure.”

Lyle, a veteran television executive whose career spans 25 years across more than 20 countries, has a proven track record developing factual and unscripted multiplatform/multiwindow content, both domestically and globally.  He oversees the U.S. channels National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo Mundo.  Former positions include heading Fox LOOK, Fox Reality Channel and FremantleMedia North America.

“When we set up FRAPA in April 2000,” said Lyle, “the aim was to have TV formats recognized and protected as intellectual property.  Getting them recognized, we’ve done; getting them protected, we still have a way to go.  FRAPA works to protect the producers, creators and distributors all over the world who are scribbling down ideas.  Formats, whether they’re for TV or digital, deserve to be protected … and rewarded.”

National Geographic Channel

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks.  The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission.  Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD.  In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled.  The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 83 million U.S. homes.  Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 435 million homes in 173 countries and 37 languages.  For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

Held under the auspices of MIPTV’s MIPFormats showcase, The Boot Camp takes place on March 30 and March 31 in Cannes, France. The sessions will be hosted by some of the format industry’s best-known names, including National Geographic Channels’ David Lyle, The Gurin Company’s Phil Gurin, Absolutely Independent’s Patty Geneste, format lawyer Jonathan Coad, and Format People Michel Rodrigue and Justin Scroggie.

• How To Protect Your Format by Jonathan Coad: From the ‘eureka!’ moment of conception to its emergence on screen

• How To Make A Format Bible by Michel Rodrigue and Justin Scroggie: The Art and science of creating the DIY production manual, style guide and tool for brand protection

• How To Make a Sizzle Reel by David Lyle and Phil Gurin: How will I get the perfect response from a buyer to my sizzle reel

• How To Negotiate by Patty Geneste: How to negotiate with producers and broadcasters, how to protect your rights and how to think creatively at the bargaining table

The Boot Camp programme kicks off at 12.00 on Friday, March 30 with How To Protect Your Format, hosted by Jonathan Coad, a partner at London-based law firm Lewis Silkin, and director and founder of the International Format Lawyers Association (IFLA). The session aims to help commercial creatives to protect their IP, from the ‘eureka!’ moment of conception to its emergence on screen. Coad said: “I want to help those that create new formats to get the proper return from them in the form of license fees and prestige. There are practical and tactical steps you can take to mark out your creative output as your own. My session will help you to establish your rights of ownership over the property that you have created.”

Friday afternoon at 16.00 will see Format People, CEO Michel Rodrigue and chief creative officer Justin Scroggie take to the stage. Their Boot Camp session — How To Make A Format Bible — will examine the art and science of creating the DIY production manual, style guide and tool for brand protection that is increasingly seen as a central element in the legal protection of formats. Michel Rodrigue said: “Format bibles come in many shapes and sizes and not all of them are as useful as they should be. Justin and I will be examining what a format bible is; how, when and by whom it should be prepared, and what the end result should look like.” The Format People will also unveil a template of an industry-standard bible in advance of the launch of FRAPA’s new website tool: The Bible Generator.

Saturday’s Boot Camp programme begins at 09.00 with How To Make a Sizzle Reel. In the workshop session, David Lyle and Phil Gurin will present a a selection of sizzles, identify sub-genres and introduce ripomatic concepts. Lyle said: “New creatives in love with their projects often lose sight of the purpose of a sizzle reel, better called a taster or teaser reel. It’s not an on-air promo. It does not demonstrate, fully explain or education. It does not, by itself, pitch the show. It teases, intrigues, sets up… The perfect response from a buyer to a sizzle reel is, ‘Wow! Tell me more…’.”

The final Boot Camp workshop — at 09.50 on Saturday — tackles the all-important question of How To Negotiate. Patty Geneste, CEO of Amsterdam-based Absolutely Independent, will present a one-hour master class in deal-making, including tips on how to negotiate with producers and broadcasters, how to protect your rights and how to think creatively at the bargaining table. Geneste said: “An hour isn’t nearly long enough to explain the mechanics of format deal-making. But I hope this session will give MIPFormat delegates some insight into what’s important, what isn’t, what you can do to help yourself — and what’s best left to the experts.”

The Boot Camp initiative is the next step in FRAPA’s journey from format protection association to “the global HQ” of the formats community. Ute Biernat, chair FRAPA and CEO of Grundy Light Entertainment, said: “We believe education and innovation are closely connected. What’s the point in coming up with the next ‘Idols’ if you don’t know how to protect it, market it or cut the best deal for it? The FRAPA Format Boot Camp goes back to basics, offering MIPFormat delegates the best advice about the business of creativity from some of the best in the industry.”

You want to pitch your format? The MIPFormats Pitch is an international pitching event for companies with innovative concepts for new, non-scripted entertainment formats. Warner Bros. International Television Production will commit to spending up to €25,000 to develop the winning project via one of its production companies, with an eye toward developing the winning entry as a television project. The deadline for all entries is the 6th of February 2012.

Hit international TV formats such as ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ are being protected by the laws of copyright, unfair competition, passing off and breach of confidence, according to the latest FRAPA report, launched today at a MIPCOM press conference in Cannes hosted by David Lyle, CEO of National Geographic Channels, and FRAPA chairman, Ute Biernat, CEO of GRUNDY Light Entertainment.

The FRAPA Report 2011: Protecting Format Rights, prepared by international media and telecommunications law firm Olswang LLP (in association with Dr. Sukhpreet Singh)  and supported by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, looks at 14 TV territories including: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, India, the UK and the US. Its aim is to provide a practical, user-friendly guide to the legal options available to TV format creators, maximising their chances of winning legal proceedings should their programmes become the subject of a dispute.

The report also examined over 40 reported judgments from around the world, covering copyright, unfair competition, breach of confidence and trade mark disputes. In most of these cases, format creators successfully enforced their rights by relying on a suite of different laws that protected their programmes as valuable business assets.

Lyle said: “A hit international TV programme may be a licence to print money, but a valuable format is also a vulnerable one and needs all the protection on offer. We believe this latest FRAPA report will help the industry to protect the kernel of its business — the spark of creativity that lies at the heart of all great shows.”

Olswang found that the legal inconsistencies between territories and jurisdictions often resulted in a format being protected in one country but not in another. While format imitators may be free to copy in one jurisdiction, they will struggle to distribute their copycat formats in others, thus significantly reducing the value of an imitation on the global market.

FRAPA Report author and Senior Associate at Olswang, Priya Nagpal said: “Olswang has been working with some of Europe’s most formidable TV brands and programme creators for decades, so we inherently understand the creative and business challenges faced by the industry. We’ve seen an evolution among format creators – they have become more sophisticated at restraining copycats by looking beyond copyright and instead using a variety of legal rights to protect their successful TV programmes. The report illustrates that this is a winning strategy and one that will continue to protect the value of these formats.”

The report positively revealed that format creators are enjoying increasing success in cases of unfair competition, unfair business practices and breach of confidence. Big Brother creator Endemol, has had some success in the Netherlands and Brazil with its hit show, and there have been several successful copyright claims in Belgium, Canada and Spain. However, copyright infringement claims continue to be challenging, particularly in Germany, where a Supreme Court decision has created an unsympathetic environment for format disputes.

For more information or to set up an interview please contact:

Media & Communications Manager

Lily Cabianca
020 7067 3009
lily.cabianca@olswang.com

Media & Communications Officer
Esther Harrison
020 7067 3046
esther.harrison@olswang.com

FRAPA
Press Officer
+49 221 99 55 11 06
lenzen@frapa.org

Notes to editors

FRAPA — the Format Recognition and Protection Association — is an international body dedicated to the protection of formats. Established in 2000 by a group of key industry professionals, FRAPA now represents numerous companies from within the television and broadcast industry. Its members include format creators, producers, distributors and broadcasters.

An independent, non-profit association, FRAPA’s services include registering format proposals; mediating disputes arising out of claims of format plagiarism; creating guidelines for fair competition; and educating the industry and the law regarding the protection of formats.

The report is priced at €199.00 but is available free to FRAPA members.

_________________________

Olswang LLP is one of Europe’s leading law firms in the areas of technology, media, telecommunications and real estate. The firm comprises of nearly 700 people including 100 partners, across seven European offices. Olswang is partnered with US technology focused law firm Cooley, and is part of a ‘best friends’ network of leading independent law firms throughout the world.

Chambers Asia Pacific – Corporate Finance mid-market Firm of the Year 2011

NOA Outsourcing Advisory of the Year 2010

The Sunday Times Best Green Companies 2010

The Law Society Award for Excellence in Environmental Responsibility 2010

Taxation Team of the Year 2010 – Taxation Awards

TMT Team of the Year 2010- The Lawyer Awards

Corporate Team of the Year 2010 – The Lawyer Awards

www.olswang.com