We have blogged before about how NLA media access works with other newspaper owned licensing bodies to create better international licensing and supply solutions for media monitoring service users through the Press Database and Licensing Network www.pdln.info. PDLN aims to simplify content access and licensing in a global market.
PDLN’s biggest and best conference so far took place in Stockholm last month. There is growing interest in working together to create cross-border solutions. 49 attendees from 19 countries worked through a packed program including the formal admission of five new members (organisations from New Zealand, Spain, Italy, Finland and South Africa), a presentation on a significant number of EU legal developments from ENPA secretary general Francine Cunningham. Jan Hellin the Editor in Chief of Aftonbladet the leading Swedish tabloid paper, gave an inspiring talk on addressing the digital challenge. They now have more readers on mobile than the web, and far more on either than in print. Jeannette Gustafsdotter the head of the Swedish publisher association showed that the digital market for news has grown from 4 to 70bn KR from 1980 to 2013, but the proliferation of channels puts traditional media under huge pressure. Dawn Conway of leading global MMO Cision spoke on media evaluation and US market developments. There is growing demand for copyright clearance for media monitoring from US agencies and customers, but the failure of the Newsright project has dampened hopes of a comprehensive solution.
For many the presentations from the growing membership on their successes and challenges were especially interesting. CEDRO (Spain), DALRO (South Africa), Promopress (Italy) and Visapress (Portugal) discussed the challenges of establishing effective press licensing status in their countries, and reaching effective and fair agreements with local MMOs. The conference was also attended by rights licensing organisations from USA, Finland, and MMOs from USA and Europe as PDLN seeks to engage a wider range of stakeholders in its development.
Andrew Hughes
Commercial Director, NLA media access
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