Our international Media Group provides a full range of legal services to clients in this sector. We draw on the strength of leading lawyers from our international media, e-commerce, communications, IT, IP and sports practices to provide a full range of domestic and cross border corporate, commercial and regulatory advice.
Our in-depth knowledge of this industry combined with our international reach enables us to provide cutting-edge, commercially focused advice to clients working in this sector. Our expertise in communications, e-commerce and media gives us a particular strength in advising on all aspects of digital media.
Our media sector clients include broadcasters (terrestrial, cable, satellite, video on demand, we casting and radio), digital platform operators, broadcast technology suppliers, rights owners, agents, distributors, film and television producers, the music and entertainment business sector, advertisers and publishers. In addition we act for financial institutions and other investors, including private equity houses in their investments into media related businesses.
Our key services include:
Advertising
We advise on all aspects of above and below the line advertising, marketing and promotional activities. As would be expected with the technology focus of the firm, Internet advertising is a speciality. We provide advice on applicable domestic and international law and regulation, voluntary codes and industry practice, rights acquisitions and clearances, licensing, brand protection and passing off. We also advise agencies about their terms of engagement and relationships with clients and on commissioning and production arrangements.
Broadcasting
We advise content providers, service and platform operators and suppliers of technology to the broadcast industry. We regularly advise on licence applications, service and content related regulatory and competition issues, infrastructure and technology arrangements, carriage agreements, up-linking and transmission arrangements, content acquisition, licensing and distribution, commissioning agreements, clip licensing and programme guides.
Film
Our specialist film group acts for film and television producers, studios, distributors, broadcasters, banks, financiers and agents. It provides advice on film finance, distribution and co-production agreements, talent agreements, synchronisation agreements, rights clearances, assignments and licences, licence breaches and copyright infringement, audit claims and privacy and personality law
Music
We advise production companies, management companies, tour promoters, venue owners, independent record and publishing companies, musical/theatre producers and artists. We provide advice on recording, licensing, publishing and distribution arrangements, digital rights management, on-line distribution of music, netcasting, venue agreements, rights clearances, promotion and endorsement.
Publishing
We advise both traditional and new media publishers, authors and literary agents on a wide range of commercial matters including client agreements, publishing and representation agreements, acquisition and licensing of content, pre-publication rights clearances, brand issues, defamation and intellectual property disputes.
Sponsorship
Although best known for our sports sponsorship work where we have an outstanding reputation for advising both rights holders and sponsors on some of the most high profile and innovative sponsorships of recent times. Our specialist sponsorship group advises clients on a wide range of sponsorships including venue, competition/event, team, organisation and individual sponsorship and endorsement.