Technological change drives the television world and WDP constantly re-evaluates its distribution criteria accordingly.
In order to qualify for payment the programme must be a scripted drama, comedy, or dramatic segment of another programme. It must have been commissioned by the BBC or ITV either in-house or from an independent producer. Acquisitions of programmes originally commissioned by other broadcasters do not qualify.
In general programmes need to be UK productions for writer to qualify, because, a) foreign contracts would typically buy out these rights and, b) there is no reciprocal organisation to pay British writers for these rights in foreign countries.
WDP takes no account of writer status, so all writers are paid at the same rate (subject to the criteria listed) and as equal contributors, unless there is evidence that the proportions of their contributions are different.
Fully scripted programmes in excess of 15 minutes in length are paid at 100% irrespective of length.
Fully scripted programmes that are 15 minutes or less in length are paid at 50%.
If a writer’s contract is a buyout they do not qualify – payment of residuals might indicate that a work qualifies.
Payment is not made to production companies, or other corporate entities unless it is clear that they are simply an individual’s services provider.
There is a presumption that a presenter/performer is not a writer, and therefore not to be paid unless there is evidence of a bona fide separate writer’s agreement.
All programmes with fewer than 10,000 hits will not be included.
If a writer is due less than £25 the money will not be paid out but will be held in their account until future distributions bring them up to £25.
Where WDP considers data provided by a broadcaster to be unsafe (i.e. possibly inaccurate) it will reserve the relevant monies from the distribution and, once verified, include them in later distributions.
WDP negotiates a lump sum with the broadcasters. The figure for BBC for 2021 was £1.75m which generally equates to approximately £1 per 1000 hits. If the number of hits increases substantially, that rate will reduce.