How should we record copying for conversions to PAL (Australian) format?
Q. Our audio-visual resource area is often asked to do format conversions, for the University’s educational purposes, of material which has either been purchased or copied (possibly off-air or possibly from another source) overseas. In most cases it would be impossible to commercially obtain the video in PAL (Australian) format. Is there any provision for such copying in the Act? A. If the original tape has been made from a broadcast which went to air overseas, the original taping is not a matter for the Part VA licence as no act involving one of the rights comprised in the copying (e.g. reproduction) takes place in Australia. If the academic then returns to Australia and wishes to make a reproduction (in order to convert to PAL format) then – provided this is for the educational purposes of the university – it is within the Part VA licence. This copy made in Australia should be marked. If you are a record-keeping university it should be recorded and paid for.
