Background
& Aims

Today’s multi-billion-dollar global formats industry is founded on the assumption that intellectual property (IP) rights exist. Unfortunately, the law doesn’t always agree. Too many judges in too many jurisdictions still maintain that formats are generic programme ideas as opposed to original creative works — and ideas, as everybody knows, cannot be protected by copyright law. Even in jurisdictions with ‘format-friendly’ legislation, copyright-infringement cases routinely fail.

Against this backdrop, format theft continues to be a threat to the very existence of the formats industry. The commercial strength of our business depends on our capacity to protect our product. What, after all, are the rights to a TV format worth if they cannot be reliably protected against unlicensed copying?

While the courts continue to deny the existence of formats, FRAPA will continue to fight for their recognition and protection by:

• Lobby for the greater legal recognition and protection of formats
• Advising members on their rights and recourses when their IP is threatened
• Promoting good business practices in line with FRAPA’s Code of Conduct
• Researching the economic power of formats and celebrating their creative impact
• Fostering a culture of trust and friendship among all those involved in the international trade in formats.