BISG to Host "Doing Rights Right" on January 19

Every day, organizations and individuals seek rights and permissions for intellectual property whose owners are difficult to reach, ambiguous, or unknown. The supply chain for rights frustrates anyone trying to negotiate a fair deal, and globally, millions of dollars are left on the table each year. An operational set of standards and global best practices for efficient, effective, legally sound rights licensing continues to elude us.

With the support of Frankfurter Buchmesse, the Book Industry Study Group is pleased to bring together rights professionals from the book industry and beyond for "Doing Rights Right: Making the Case for Change". Starting at 10 am ET on Friday, January 19, the event will run approximately 4.5 hours (including a light lunch and coffee break). This hybrid event, a rescheduled and reimagined version of our postponed rights event from September 2023, will explore opportunities and convey the urgent need for a concerted collaborative effort to solve challenges in book rights.

After opening remarks from Juergen Boos (Frankfurter Buchmesse) and Kris Kliemann (Kliemann & Company / BISG Rights Committee Chair), the event will open with a call to action from keynote speaker Sebastian Ritscher (Mohrbooks Literary Agency). Ritscher will identify the opportunities and explain how a concerted collaborative effort to solve book rights challenges can be made. 

Attendees will also hear from Maurice Russell (Mechanical Licensing Collective) in conversation with Paul Sweeting (RightsTech Project) about how a rights registry in the music business increased revenue and eased rights pain points. Further programming will include updates from the BISG Rights Committee, which has been working diligently on components of rights communication across the supply chain, and key rights professionals on their important work in support of the industry. 

The four-hour program will include a light lunch and be followed by a coffee and dessert reception, where attendees will have an opportunity to catch up, learn from industry partners, and continue the day’s discussion.  In-person attendees will receive a small memento of the day and one person will be randomly selected for a grand prize souvenir.

In-person registration is open to both BISG members (at no charge) and nonmembers ($99). Virtual participation is available to both BISG members and nonmembers ($49). 

Register here

We thank Frankfurter Buchmesse for their support. 

Planned Program

1. Welcome (Juergen Boos, Frankfurter Buchmesse)

2. Event Overview (Kris Kliemann, Kliemann & Company, Rights Committee Chair)

3. Doing Rights Right: Making the Case for Change (Keynote presentation by Sebastian Ritscher, MohrBooks Literary)

4. From Theory to Practice: Everyday Examples of Rights Challenges to Solve
   Brian O’Leary of BISG  will moderate a discussion with permissions expert MJ Courschense of Gryphon Publishing, as well as other rights practitioners.

5. How has a rights registry in music increased sales and reduced pain points? 
   A conversation between Paul Sweeting (RightsTech Project) and Maurice Russell (Mechanical Licensing Collective)

6. Light lunch and prize raffle 

7. How does the work the Rights Committee has been doing support the case for change? 
   An overview of current initiatives and progress, moderated by Miriam Miller (Holiday House)

8. Open discussion 

9. Coffee & dessert
   An opportunity to mingle, converse, network, and celebrate the day!