FRAPA launches guide to help prevent format infringement

FRAPA, the format recognition and protection association, has launched a new service – the FRAPA Infringement Guide – supported by free case assessments from industry experts.

The Infringement Guide is FRAPA’s response to a call from format professionals to provide practical, step-by-step assistance on what to do in the event of a suspected intellectual property (IP) infringement by a producer, broadcaster or platform.

A recent FRAPA questionnaire of its members found that 29% of respondents said they had experienced infringement but had done nothing about it due to a lack of knowledge and/or the time to invest in what is perceived to be a long, expensive and confusing process.

The new tool consists of an infographic that clearly and systematically illustrates the steps needed to ascertain whether a format has been copied, along with the actions that should then be taken.

In combination with the Infringement Guide, FRAPA board members are offering face-to-face consultations to assess cases that fall outside of the guide’s parameters. In more complex cases, FRAPA’S preferred legal partners can offer short advisory sessions to help secure a swift and fair resolution.

Phil Gurin (pictured), co-chair of FRAPA, said: “Infringement in all its many guises is a major topic within the FRAPA community, particularly the rise in partial infringement as a result of the proliferation of streaming platforms. We know from experience that, in today’s fractured and fragmented marketplace, cases are never simple or indeed similar, so the Infringement Guide adopts a layered approach to provide first hand clear answers to complex issues.

“An important part of FRAPA’s mission is to offer practical help to our members: we believe the Infringement Guide, supported by one-on-one consultations with FRAPA executives and/or legal partners, represents a significant step towards achieving this goal.”