Contact:
Mike Leidig
Phone: + 43 - 1 - 811 40 - 319
E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com
| Pressbox | 
|
Cologne/ London (pte029/04.03.2003/12:51) - Music management mogul and 'Pop Idol' http://www.pop-idol-uk.co.uk
creator Simon Fuller is not just cashing in on the success of the UK version, but is also taking a substantial share of the earnings of pop idols in other countries.
German media claim that the ten finalists of the German version, "Deutschland sucht den Superstar" http://deutschlandsuchtdensuperstar.rtl.de have signed a contract granting him the right to pocket a share of their earnings for the next thirteen years.
Top German contract law expert Dr Matthias Scheer branded the leaked details of the amazing payout as "immoral" after he learned about the contract the ten finalists of the German show had been told to sign.
Former Spice Girls manager Fuller will initially pocket 20 per cent of the net earnings of the ten finalists, which will later drop to 10 per cent, according to German paper 'Bild'.
In addition Fuller can apparently pass on all costs to the stars and bring in new contract partners without the stars' agreement, paying them from the stars' share in the deal.
Scheer said: "If someone were to dispute the contract, they would probably win. It's the contract of a slave-holder."
But the rumours of the lucrative deal have been slammed by German music industry insiders. German TV channel RTL, which airs the show, and Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG), who will give the winner a contract, have hit back at the claims.
An RTL spokesman said that the contracts signed by the finalists with BMG were "completely normal contracts, as is usual for shows."
And the German representative of Fuller's music and TV company 19 Entertainment, Kai Manke, said the claims were "complete rubbish" and that there were no secret adhesion contracts. He admitted that Fuller's group of companies would get 20 per cent of the earnings, but said of the finalists: "Compared to others in the same field, they are well paid."
The Pop Idol format has been a hit in the UK, the US, Germany, Poland http://idol.interia.pl/idol_en , South Africa, France and Holland.
(end)
|
|
