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Take television for example...

Ever since the camcorder became popular, small but increasing amounts of the footage that major networks broadcast has come from amateur sources. Indeed, some programmes (such as America's Funniest Videos) consist almost solely of footage shot by regular folks with their video cameras.

This trend has continued to increase now that many mobile phones have started offering a rudimentary form of video recording and transmission. When terrorists detonated a number of bombs around London last year, am-cam footage taken on mobile phones was aired around the world.

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Back home in New Zealand, there's another war going on and am-cam footage is set to play an important role in this conflict as well.

I'm referring of course, to the battle between One News and TV3's news for the eyes of viewers.

Both networks realise that their cameras are not always on the scene when the action surrounding a news event unfolds - but there are often members of the public (and their cameras) who are.

TVNZ has this solicitation for your valuable footage.

TV3 merely have a phone number to ring on their contact page although they have mentioned their desire to get your scoop footage many times on-air.

Now if you're on the spot of a rapidly unfolding story and manage to grab some really useful (and therefore valuable) footage of the events, should you rush off and submit your footage to TVNZ or TV3?

Well, given that such footage may well end up being sold by TVNZ/TV3 to other broadcasters around the world, perhaps for a *very* healthy sum, I don't think I'd be too quick to hand it over.

Take a close look at the Terms & Conditions associated with TVNZ's acceptance of your footage -- especially the bit that says "I assign all copyright in the footage in perpetuity to TVNZ".

This little phrase effectively means that you are signing away any and all rights to the footage.

No matter how much TVNZ might earn from selling your genuine footage of Elvis working at the Takapuna Burger King, the company is under no obligation to pay you a single cent. What's more, you can't even show your friends the footage after giving it to TVNZ because that would be a breach of copyright.

I wonder how many people might get carried away with the prospect of seeing their footage on TV and ignore the fact that they might be signing away a whole lot of money in doing so?

How much money are we talking?

I don't know -- but I do know that (according to Wikipedia) some paparazzi pictures can earn as much as US$50,000 or more per picture -- so 20 seconds of Elvis flipping burgers has to be worth a whole lot more. Even America's Funniest Home Videos pays US$20,000 for winning clips.

If you've got what you think is very valuable footage, don't just dump it in TVNZ or TV3's lap. Think up a ridiculous price and offer it to them -- you never know, they might accept that offer.

Alternatively, convert it to a video file and add a big fat watermark that says "broadcasting prohibited" right across the middle. Then whack it up on a website and contact all the world's broadcasters and invite them to make an offer.

Or, if you're more altruistic, donate it to the public domain or offer it to the broadcasters under a GPL.

If you were lucky enough to catch a real scoop -- what would *you* do with the footage?

Is TVNZ's solicitation really designed to dupe those who don't realise the value of what they might have recorded?

Tell us all and see what others have to say in The Aardvark Forums

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