Image licensing service Media Register launches
Media Register, an automated service for tracking and managing the use of licensed images, has launched.
The announcement:
Launch of Media Register solves image licensing challenges
Media Register, an advanced way for photographers, agencies and brands to manage rights licensed imagery, has launched today
A first of its kind in the commercial photography industry in Australia, Media Register provides image buyers and creators a collaborative way to conduct business in the rights managed content arena.
An easy-to-use online service, Media Register allows any image to be registered with its terms of licence and usage. Information is made accessible and maintained in real time so buyers (agencies and brands) and sellers (photographers) can readily determine if, when and where the image can be used, and on what terms.
A cloud-based platform, Media Register was developed by Shannon Stoddart having experienced the challenges of image licensing first hand.
During her 18 plus years in the industry as Director of one of Australia’s leading photographic agencies, The Kitchen Creative Management, Stoddart observed that every photographer, agent, agency and client used a unique and often haphazard approach for managing image licensing.
“Deals often involve multiple stakeholders, can have complex region and time based arrangements and identifying important licence details after expiration can be a tedious and labour-intensive process,” states Stoddart.
“Records are often misplaced and as a result images may be used in breach of the Copyright Act, exposing corporations to potential lawsuits and denying content creators revenue.”
Seeing the need for creatives, agencies and brands alike to better manage and track licensed content, Stoddart created Media Register.
“Anyone engaging in buying or selling commercial photography will benefit from the efficiency and reliability of Media Register,” continues Stoddart.
“Users can create a license agreement in a few simple steps and then share all or part of that agreement with other license parties. They can quickly identify if an image is licensed, to whom and for what usage. They will also receive license expiry notifications and can send requests for license renewals.”
According to a report* by PWC commissioned by the Australian Copyright Council (2017), copyright industries in Australia contributed over $122B to the economy in 2016, making it the third largest industry in the Australian economy generating over $6.6B in exports.
“Media Register works for everyone, from the photographer on-the-ground, to multi-national brands, advertising agencies and production companies. They all get value from the availability and instant accessibility that Media Register provides.”
Key features of the Media Register platform:
· Create and track a license agreement in minutes – in one central location
· Define who the rights are licensed to, add the media, territory, period of use, then drop and drag images for a quick visual reference
· Share a license with clients and suppliers
· Discuss license details, add comments, send expiry notifications and archive or renew a license
· Instantly confirm if an image is licensed, who it is licensed to and what it is licensed for
· Dashboard alerts for recently added licenses, recently expired or due to expire
· Monthly notifications collate all your license activity
· Renew a license with ease and transparency in one click. Choose to rollover an existing license or request additional usage for a particular image or campaign
· Media Register will prompt the archive or renewal of any license due to expire
· Archive licenses for future reference. Archiving enables a quick check of previous usage details and ability to send a license renewal request in the future.
Source: Company media release
