About PDLN.
Press Database and Licensing Network (PDLN) is an association representing organisations owned or controlled by publishers who license or supply newspaper, magazine and website material for media monitoring, press cutting and press review services. PDLN was founded in 2008 and has grown rapidly. PDLN has 35 members in 23 countries.
Over the last twenty years, newspaper publishers in a number of countries have founded industry wide companies in order to license and supply content for media monitoring. A range of licences and services have been established, including online databases which provide up-to-date content in a variety of downloadable formats. We bring these companies together to build better international co-operation. The growing interest in platform - press licensing has extended our activity.
Our aims.
To protect and promote
Protecting and promoting the interest of publishers in relation to international press reviews.
Create international solutions
Creating international solutions to satisfy the needs of companies and other institutions monitoring digital press and licenses covering international news.
Influence legislative change
Working with international associations of newspaper publishers and periodicals in order to influence the legislation process so that it effectively supports market solutions to press access and copyright issues.
Support international cooperation
Supporting international cooperation between press owned databases and licensing organizations leading to more efficient international licensing of press articles worldwide, for content owners, intermediaries and users.
Engage in dialogue
Engaging In dialogue with representatives of intermediaries and users of press cutting services leading to improved services for them and our mutial clients - the corporate users.
Encourage collective licensing
Encouraging the creation of similar entities with the largest representation possible in countries without an existing press database or licensing organisation.
Other important aims derive from these principles including maximizing return to publishers from copying activity, improving control of copying, especially digital copying, increasing transparency of content copying and promoting the market for international press reviews.
Our History
With the aim of sharing experience and discussing how these different companies could work together to offer better international solutions, an informal conference was held in London in November 2007, hosted by NLA. Members of 12 different organizations from 9 European countries met to introduce their organizations and to discuss possible co-operation.
The delegates agreed to meet again in April 2008 in Berlin, hosted by PMG. Several new interested parties were invited with 17 different companies from 12 different countries taking part. The theme of the conference was: “Setting up an international framework - How can we build the future?”
The Berlin conference decided unanimously that a formal international association of publisher managed databases and licensing companies should be founded, leading to the formation of PDLN.
During the third meeting in Brussels in November 2008, which was hosted by Copiepresse (Belgium), 13 companies from 10 different countries founded the Press Database Licensing Network (PDLN). Dr Peter Horvath of PMG was elected president; Andrew Hughes of NLA became vice president.
All members and observers of the newly formed body committed themselves to protect and to promote the interests of publishers and to offer a comprehensive service to all industry participants - users, intermediaries and publishers.
PDLN has subsequently recruited members from most continents and now holds annual conferences and regular seminars. It acts primarily as an information exchange and network. It is not a licensing or supply service.