Parisian sound film peace
The Paris sound film peace refers to the agreement that was made between the two world market leaders and competitors on the sound film market of the 1930s, the American Western Electric and the Dutch-German kitchen master Tobis sound film group . At this point in time, the two contracting parties were already combining numerous patents for sound film recording and playback. This agreement on the exchange of patent rights was intended to ensure the control of the two companies over as large a part of the sound film market as possible.
background
Since devices from different manufacturers were used for film recording and playback worldwide, which was a thorn in the side of the manufacturers, as they insisted that only devices from the same manufacturer that also manufactured the recording devices could be used for playback, one met after 19 From June 6th to July 22nd, 1930, negotiations lasted for the agreement that became known as the “Paris Sound Film Peace”. The previous situation in which cinema owners and market competitors were sued for patent infringement or license infringements should be over. The division of the world market among each other, the "interchangeability" and a common approach against unfair competition and patent infringements by third parties were agreed. License payments to the respective patent holders of the film projection equipment were still necessary, but it was now permitted to use equipment from every company participating in the agreement. However, the numerous small manufacturers worldwide were not taken into account. Nothing was agreed on the amount of any license payments.
agreement
The following points were agreed in a memorandum:
- Open market for all films around the world
- Division of the world market for the delivery of sound film equipment into two zones (one for Western Electric, one for Küchenmeister-Tobis-Klangfilm) and a free competition zone
- Interchangeability: Each film can be shown with any system; however, license payments may be due to the respective patent owner
- Mutual exchange of patents for the purpose of developing better devices between RCA, Western Electric and Küchenmeister-Tobis-Klangfilm. These are the following companies: Electrical Research Products Inc. , RCA Photophone Inc. , Columbia Pictures , Educational Pictures , Fox Film Corporation , Paramount Publix Corporation , Radio Keith Orpheum Corporation , United Artists Corporation , AEG , Siemens & Halske , Universal Pictures Corporation , Tiffany Steel , Pathé Exchange Inc. , Metro Goldwyn Picture Corporation , Küchenmeisters Internationale Maatschappij voor Sprekende Films , Tonbild-Syndikat A.-G.
Division of the world market
Numerous countries were split up between Western Electric, which acquired General Electric's patents as well as its own, and the Küchenmeister Tobis Klangfilm Group, which combined the patents of Klangfilm GmbH, Siemens, AEG and Polyphon, exclusively for the supply of sound film equipment. Countries not named in the following were deemed to be “free competition areas”.
- Western Electric: United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Russia.
- Küchenmeister Tobis sound film: Germany, Danzig, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Dutch-India, Denmark, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Bulgaria and Romania.
Individual evidence
- ↑ The exchange of film patents between Germany and America. The result of the Paris negotiations. In: Neue Freie Presse , July 23, 1930, p. 6 ( digitized from anno.onb.ac.at )
- ^ The Austrian Selenophon Licht- und Tonbildgesellschaft was subsequently included in the agreement in 1932. The Austrian market was split between Tobis and Selenophon.
literature
- "The official communiqué: Basis des Tonfilmfriedens", in: Film-Kurier , No. 172, July 23, 1930. ( digitized version )
- Jan Distelmeyer (Red.): Sound film peace - sound film war. The story of Tobis from technology syndicate to state company. Munich: edition text + kritik, 2003. ISBN 3-88377-749-8