Synapse Distribution
This year Synapse has gone seriously into the distribution business. At this time we are still experimenting, working things out. In the meantime, we are letting cable systems like Manhattan Cable show a series of our tapes at no charge. We're not going to continue that. We're fed up with providing free material. From now on, the only free arrangements will be made with places prestigious enough to benefit the artist and Synapse. We are working with PBS, with regional networks, and we're working up to national networks. PBS station WXXI in Rochester ran our tapes - a twenty-week series of half-hour works - last summer, and wants to rerun them.
Our tentative fee scale will be $50 per week per tape for cable and somewhere around $190 per tape for public television stations, plus dubbing costs. We expect that from 50 to 75 percent of the fee will go to the artist, the balance to Synapse for the cost of the distribution program. We will also develop distribution for closed circuit situations like libraries, colleges and museums. We plan to be on a paying basis by January 1979.
Cite this record
Henry Baker. Synapse Distribution. Televisions. vol. 6, no. 3. Washington Community Video Center. 1978.
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Synapse has entered the distribution business and is experimenting; it permitted cable systems such as Manhattan Cable to show its tapes free temporarily but will limit future free arrangements to venues deemed prestigious for the artist and Synapse, and is working with PBS, regional networks and toward national networks. PBS station WXXI in Rochester ran a twenty-week series of half-hour works last summer and wants to rerun them; Synapse proposes fees of $50 per week per tape for cable and about $190 per tape for public television plus dubbing, with 50 to 75 percent of fees to artists. It plans closed-circuit distribution to libraries, colleges and museums and to be on a paying basis by January 1979.
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Last modified 13 September 2026