The Sunday Times quotes Ingrid Silver on Celador's successful dispute with Disney

11 July 2010

Ingrid Silver was quoted in The Sunday Times in a piece on Celador, creator of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, and its successful dispute with Disney over a licensing agreement for the show. 

Celador reached an agreement with Disney on the US rights to the quiz show in 2001.  It quickly felt that the profit-share payments it was receiving were not reflective of the amount that ABC, the Disney-owned channel broadcasting the show, was making.  Celador filed a claim for US$340 million and at the conclusion of a six-year case was recently awarded US$269 million.

"Experts say the case puts the spotlight on a tricky legal area.  'The decision confirms the need for television format rights licensing contracts to clearly and accurately reflect agreed financial terms, particularly when dealing with profit-share arrangements,' said Ingrid Silver, a partner in the technology, media and telecoms team at Denton Wilde Sapte, the law firm.

'Disputes can often arise over different interpretations of what constitutes profits when dealing with big American studios, as Celador found to its cost.'"