The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has released new license fees for cinema and broad screen viewing operators.

NFVCB Director-General Emeka Mba said the new fees would regulate cinema business which had become an “all comers affair.”

He said the new fees were introduced based on a new classification of cinema and viewing centres into exhibitors' license and exhibition premises license.

The licenses have been categorised into national, regional, state, local government and community.

A breakdown showed that the national exhibitors's license would be N300,000 per annum, regional N200,000, state N100,000 local government N 15,000 and community N5,000.

The exhibition premises license fees included that of major cinemas which is now N150,000 per annum, medium N100,000, small N80,000 and viewing centres N15,000, Mba said.

Mba said NFVCB was working out a framework on films distribution and exhibition to ensure the survival of the revamped industry.

According to him, the new regime also recognises distribution rights which it has classified into rentals only, sales right only, rental and sales rights and comprehensive rights.

Mba stressed the need for collaboration between distributors and exhibitors to foster healthy partnership.

The cinema industry which was long relegated had witnessed a boost with the emergence of big players, including Silverbird and Numero Cinemas in Lagos and Abuja.

Meanwhile the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has adopted a new strategy to curb the menace of piracy in the country.

NFVCB Director-General Emeka Mba said the board had evolved a framework of film and video works distribution that would effectively neutralise piracy.

Mba said the board would through the strategy monitor supply sources and create opportunities for pirates to be accommodated legitimately in the business.

According to him, under the framework distributors are categorised into five, ranging from national, regional, state, local council as well as communities with various registrations and licenses.

The director-general said that distributors were grouped into two namely; chain licensed distributors with structures, staffing and approved coverage areas.

The second group. he added, were the independent licensed distributors who would operate as stand-alone entities.

He said that the stand-alone entities would network using business alliance with other independent distributors to market films and video works within their territories.

Mba said that the new arrangement would protect intellectual property while producers would be relieved of the burden of engaging in distribution activities in line with best global practice.

The director-general listed standard rights which a copyright owner could grant to a licensed distributor in a bid to curtail piracy.

The rights include rental rights, sales rights, rental and sales rights as well as comprehensive rights.

The NFVCB was established to regulate film and video works in the country.