Welcome to the Media Copyright Agency.

We work on behalf of New Zealand’s leading news and magazine publishers, providing licenses to organisations who copy, store and distribute newspaper, magazine and news website content so that they can do so legally.

Contact us today to find out if you need a licence.

We represent more than 40 publishers covering 250 publications including their digital content.

We make it easy for them and you. MCA licence revenue is distributed to publishers in the form of royalty payments so they can continue to invest in producing quality, fact-checked journalism.

We have a licence for every scenario to ensure you’re respecting copyright – so you can get on with what you do best, without worrying if you’re covered.

Apply Online

All organisations need an MCA licence to safely copy, store and distribute content produced by the publishers we represent, including if they use a Media Monitoring Organisation. Don’t worry, we’ve made it super simple for you to apply for the right kind of licence for your organisation. Click the button and follow the prompts to get started.

Publishers we represent

Advocate Communications Ltd  |  ARE Media  |  Autocar 2016 Limited  |  Christchurch Star Company Ltd  |  Consumer |  Contrafed  |  Fourth Estate Holdings   |  Global HQ Limited  |  Hex Works (The Spinoff)  |  Intermedia  |  JDJL LIMITED  |  Kowhai Media  |  Long Haul Publications  |  LT Publishing  |  Marine Media Limited |  Matrix Publishing |  Michael deHamel  |  MW Publishing  |  Newsroom  |  Newpaper Licensing Agency Media Access  |  NZ Farm Life Media Limited  |  NZ Lifestyle Group  |  NZAA  |  NZX Agri  |  Radio New Zealand  |  Review Publishing Co. Ltd. |  River City Press  |  Sun Media |  Tangible Media Limited  |  The Health Media  |  The T2 Agency Ltd / Trends  |  Twentyseven Publishers  |  VIP Publications  |  Wellington Suburban Newspapers

About Us

Who We Are

The Media Copyright Agency was established on the 1st January 2003. We represent more than 40 publishers covering 250 publications including their digital content.

What We Do

We work on behalf of New Zealand’s leading news and magazine publishers, providing licenses to organisations who copy, store and distribute newspaper, magazine and news website content so that they can do so legally.

By obtaining a licence from the MCA, organisations can protect themselves form non-compliance risks and gain the right to copy articles from most major New Zealand news media publications.

Meet the Team

Brook and Chris are the key contacts at the Media Copyright Agency and are based in the Textile Centre in Parnell, Auckland.  Please don’t hesitate to contact Chris directly regarding any licensing queries, or Brook for anything else, using our contact us form.

Chris Maxwell, Licensing Manager and Brook Cameron, General Manager

About Copyright

The basic principle of copyright, and your obligations can be distilled down reasonably simply:

  • Copyright (a statutory property right) applies automatically when something is published in New Zealand.
  • The © symbol only acts as a reminder. Even when the © is not displayed, copyright still applies.
  • Everything published is protected by copyright.
  • Publishers we represent have mandated the Media Copyright Agency to represent the copyright in their work.
  • Media Copyright Agency licence revenue is distributed to publishers in the form of royalty payments so they can continue to invest in producing quality, fact-checked journalism.
  • Copyright in a work is infringed by a person/organisation who does not own the copyright and who has not been authorised by the copyright owner, if they copy, store, distribute or adapt the work, or a substantial part of it.
  • We have a licence for every scenario to ensure you’re respecting copyright – so you can get on with what you do best, without worrying if you’re covered.

Our Licences

Apply for a licence

All organisations need an MCA licence to safely copy, store and distribute content produced by the publishers we represent, including if they use a Media Monitoring Organisation.

Apply for a licence
Media Monitoring Organisations

Media Copyright Agency (MCA) has licensed Isentia, Streem and Meltwater to provide publisher’s licenced copyright print content to their clients.

All licensed media monitoring organisations are required to submit monthly reports detailing all copying undertaken. They are also required to register all client information with us.

When this content is further copied, stored or distributed in any form, a copying licence directly with the MCA is required. Additionally, if the content provided by a media monitor is stored and available on an online portal a MCA copyright licence is required.

Publishers

The MCA’s role is to ensure that publishers’ copyright is respected and its value is appropriately recognised. By doing this the organisation protects and complements publishers’ primary business revenues.

The MCA currently represents more than 40 publishers covering 250 publications including their digital content too.

If you would like the MCA to represent your content, please contact us to discuss.

Contact us

Visit us

Level 4, Textile Lofts
1 Kenwyn Street
Parnell, Auckland 1052
New Zealand

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