3.0. Scope and definitions

3.0.A. Scope

This area covers the description of public release information for audiovisual items, and the description of date(s) of creation for unpublished audiovisual items.

3.0.B. Definitions

3.0.B.1. Published

The term published here generally means (commercially) issued, mass-produced items available for the public. Note that material available through some computer networks, e.g. the Internet , is also included in this definition.

3.0.B.2. Production

Here production applies to a film , or television or radio programme prepared for public release. In addition, production details also sometimes occur on published sound recordings produced from the late 1980s on.

3.0.B.3. Distribution

Distribution is conducted by an agent or agency having exclusive or shared marketing rights for an item.

3.0.B.4.

All of the above usually bear reasonable identifying information, or would be released with good publicity information which may assist with identification.

3.0.B.5. Broadcast

Broadcast is a form of publishing through public dissemination of programme(s). Broadcasts, however, are not mass-produced and may or may not include sufficient written information for their identification.

3.0.B.6. Unpublished

Unpublished items are generally created for internal or private use and are not intended to be mass-produced, published, produced, distributed or broadcast. These may or may not include sufficient written information for their identification.

3.0.B.7. See also Appendix D, Glossary, for further information about publication, release, issue; published (item); unpublished (items); broadcast; distribution; Internet ; production company (for sound recordings); production company (for film , television and radio); sponsor; commercial sponsor.

3.0.C. Functions of names
Extrapolated and adapted from FIAF 3.7

Depending on the particular case of the material being catalogued the names relating to the functions of publishing, producing, distributing, broadcasting, or manufacturing will either:

(i) have prominence as the publisher, etc., e.g. where a record or production company or sponsor has control over the artistic and/or intellectual content of the item (the item being either a television or radio programme, published sound recording or video, or a separately catalogued commercial or advertisement, etc.);

(ii) be better described as the manufacturer, e.g. where a record or production company is commissioned to manufacture a product, and as such has limited or no control over the artistic and/or intellectual content (see also 3.G section and "Unesco (Philips)" example in 3.D.6); or

(iii) be best described in a note, or, alternatively omitted, e.g. where a commercial sponsor has paid for one or more advertisement(s) to be broadcast during a programme (and the programme as a whole is being catalogued).