If your programme is being made to a commission from a broadcaster, or if you are making it in-house for a broadcaster, you may need to do nothing because the synch rights are already covered by the broadcasterâs blanket agreement with the MCPS. Be sure to check, though.

If you are commissioning original music, never heard or published before, you should make sure that your contract with the composer gives you synchronisation rights. Doing so will save you a lot of form-filling.

PACT members can find model contracts for commissioning original music from composers on the PACT website at

http://www.pact.co.uk/, and obtain expert advice on these complex matters from the Producersâ Industrial Relations Service (PIRS) on (tel) 44 (0)207-830-6600, (e-mail) pirs@pact.co.uk.

Use in a television programme of Commercial recordings of music requires the consent of the record company concerned. Most of the major record companies and labels are represented by their trade association the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), and rights in their recordings are handled by their collecting society, Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL). Most broadcasters have a blanket licence with PPL.