Television Copyright | How It Works and Your Benefits

What's in it for you?

You receive royalties when your audiovisual work is broadcast on television
Rebroadcasts are also included in the calculation
Sabam collects the royalties from broadcasters and cable operators
We link the broadcast to your declaration and distribute the royalties among the appropriate rights holders
You’ll receive a clear statement so you can track what you’re being paid for

Your creation on television

From broadcast to payment: here's how it works

When your work appears on television, it sets off a whole chain of events behind the scenes.

Your work will be broadcast

For example, as a feature film, documentary, news report, music video, commercial, or opening credits sequence.

The transmitter reports usage

Broadcasters submit program lists detailing the works they have aired. These lists include, among other things, how many times each work was used and how long it was aired.

Sabam links the broadcast to your declaration

We link the broadcaster's data to the works registered with Sabam.

We calculate the share of each work

This is determined based on a point system, the duration of the work, the number of broadcasts, and the share of the authors involved.

You will receive your reimbursement

Royalties are paid out according to the scheduled payment dates. You can easily track your payments through MySabam.

How is your reimbursement calculated?

The royalties collected for television are distributed among all works broadcast during a given period. Your compensation depends on various factors, such as the number of broadcasts, the length of the work, the amount paid by the broadcaster, and your contribution to the work.

Specifically, the following factors come into play:

1. The amount the broadcaster pays to Sabam

Each broadcaster pays royalties for the use of works from the Sabam repertoire. That amount forms the basis for the distribution.
Because broadcasters’ revenues can fluctuate, the total amount distributed may also vary from year to year.

2. The number of works among which that amount is distributed

The total amount is distributed among all audiovisual works that were broadcast during the same period.

This means that the more eligible works there are, the greater the number of works among which the available amount is distributed.

That is why the same type of broadcast may yield more or less in one year than in another.

3. The value of your work within the distribution

Not every audiovisual work carries the same weight in the distribution. That is why we use a point system that takes the type of work into account.

Examples of point values:

Fiction film or documentary → 5 points
Reportage, music video, or commercial → 3 points
Visual credits → 1 point

The higher the point value, the more weight your work carries in the scoring. A fiction film or documentary therefore carries more weight than, for example, a short opening sequence.

4. The duration of your work

The length of your work also plays a role.

A work that is broadcast for a longer period carries more weight than a short work or excerpt. The duration is factored into the calculation of your work’s share.

5. The number of broadcasts

Every broadcast counts. If your work is broadcast or rebroadcast multiple times, it will be included in the distribution calculation each time.

Rebroadcasts can therefore have a significant impact on your compensation.

6. Your share of the work

The remuneration is distributed according to the distribution formula specified when the work was registered.

Did you collaborate with other creators, such as a co-screenwriter, director, adapter, or other rights holder? In that case, the remuneration will be distributed according to that distribution formula.

That is why an accurate declaration is essential. This allows us to ensure that every rights holder receives the correct share.

What if your work is a production by the network?

Was your work commissioned by a television broadcaster? If so, you may be entitled to mechanical rights in addition to performance rights.

What’s the difference?

You receive performance royalties for the broadcast of your work.
Mechanical rights relate to the recording and further exploitation of your work.

Whether you are eligible for both types of royalties depends on the specific production and the agreements made. That is why accurate reporting and complete documentation are essential.

Why can't we tell you in advance how much you'll receive?

We understand that you’d like to know in advance how much a broadcast will generate. However, it’s difficult to predict that exactly.

That’s because several key factors change every year:

the total amount paid by the broadcaster;
the number of works distributed during the same period;
the duration and frequency of the broadcasts;
the share of your work in the total;
the distribution among rights holders.

That’s why amounts can vary, even when your work is rebroadcast.

Would you still like to get an idea of how much a broadcast might yield? In some cases, we can provide an estimate based on last year’s revenue per minute and the station in question.

Do you need to report a rebroadcast?

No new declaration is required. Your original declaration remains valid.

That said, it never hurts to let us know about a repeat broadcast or any new use of your work. This allows us to check whether the use has been correctly identified and processed.

👉 Have you noticed your work being broadcast again? Feel free to let us know. We'd be happy to look into it for you.

And what about online use by television broadcasters?

Television broadcasters are increasingly offering their content online as well, for example through VRT MAX or Auvio. A separate copyright distribution system applies to such video-on-demand services.

However, the way online usage is handled varies from platform to platform. As a result, the same rules for the distribution of rights do not apply everywhere.

👉 Do you have questions about a specific broadcast or the online availability of your work? Feel free to contact us.

What about movie theater screenings and film festivals?

As a director or screenwriter, you do not receive royalties through Sabam for screenings in movie theaters or at film festivals.

This is because, in practice, these rights are usually transferred to the producer by contract. The compensation for theater or festival screenings is then arranged directly between you and the producer.

In such cases, Sabam does, however, collect and distribute the royalties for the music in the audiovisual work. These royalties are paid to the composer(s) of the film score.

In short:

directors and screenwriters usually do not receive compensation through Sabam for theater and festival screenings;
composers of film music can, however, receive royalties for these screenings through Sabam.

What about music videos?

Is your music video being broadcast on television in Belgium? If so, you may be eligible to receive royalties for it.

Belgium is quite exceptional in this regard: not all countries recognise or compensate authors and directors of music videos in the same way. Sabam does.

Is your music video broadcast abroad? In that case, whether royalties are paid to the author or director of the video depends on the country and the local authors’ association.

👉 Is your video being broadcast in a country where the local association does not pay royalties for this? If so, it’s important to make clear arrangements regarding this in your contract with the producer.

What about commercials?

Commercials can also generate copyright royalties when they are broadcast on television.

Sabam is the only copyright organisation that collects and distributes royalties for this purpose, not only for composers but also for screenwriters and directors of commercials.

For broadcasts abroad, the rules vary from country to country. Not every authors’ association grants rights to the creators of commercials.

👉 Are you working on an international advertising campaign? If so, make clear agreements in advance regarding the rights that are recognized and compensated locally.

What do you need to do to make sure you don't miss out on your rights?

Declare your work accurately

The more complete and accurate your declaration, the easier it is for us to identify the use of your work and ensure that royalties are paid to the correct rights holders.

To help us process your royalties correctly, make sure your declaration always includes:

the correct title of the work;
the correct authors and rights holders;
the correct royalty split;
clear information about the type of work.

The more complete and accurate your declaration is, the more efficiently we can process and distribute your royalties.