Securing and managing Rights & Permissions is a risky, expensive, and often, long-drawn-out affair. Here are a few quick tips for publishers to save rights fees.
Get ONLY the Required Rights
Depending on your use, you may not require all types of rights. Analyzed your requirements and then secure only the permissions that are essential. The analysis is crucial; if you missed out on a few permissions initially, it might be more expensive to go back to the copyright holder again.
Use the Same Sources
Acquiring the rights for several items from one source could save money, as you could negotiate for better prices. Your rights manager should have a good rapport with the copyright holder to get the best possible deals.
Use Preferred Vendors
There are several web-based solutions available that allow you to source rights from only preferred/low-cost vendors, thus significantly reducing your rights spend. Be it images, graphs or audio files, such solutions make the rights acquisitions process cost-effective and easy.
Do your Homework
One way to reduce your rights spend is to prevent litigation. There may be several times when your team gives up in the process, as the copyright holder has moved to a different location or has passed away. Employ researchers who are willing to dig into old boxes and paper files to get hold of the rights you require.
Track and Monetize your Assets
Organize your assets, setup a good tracking system, and monetize items by offering them to other publishers. Create comprehensive yet easy-to-understand guidelines that make the rights acquisition process seamless.
Ref: futurdialog.com