Dear Mr Crampton

The Apprentice format has been licensed to TVNZ by MGM, who hold the
worldwide distribution rights to the programme.
Beyond that we cannot confirm the chain of ownership.  Our fee is payable
to the distributor and we are not privy to how that licence fee is
distributed by MGM.
A quick Internet search has highlighted an article from the Los Angeles
Times 2016 which suggests that Donald Trump has a stake in the show, but
it is not clear if this is the format (which we have licensed) or the
US-produced programme (for which we have no contractual
arrangement). [1]https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywo...
I suspect this is part of the ambiguity that you are referring to.  We do
not hold any information that relates to your query and we have not made
any external enquiries. Section 18(e) of the Act therefore applies.
In accordance with Section 19(b) of the Act we advise that you have the
right to seek an investigation and review of the above refusal by making a
complaint under Section 28(3) to an Ombudsman.
Yours sincerely

Brent McAnulty 
General Counsel & Corporate Affairs Director
      
m. +64 27 226 4913

     

-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Crampton <[FOI #14089 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 5 November 2020 6:22 PM
To: Brent McAnulty <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Apprentice NZ: Trump rights and
royalties.

Dear Television New Zealand Limited,

Whether Donald Trump maintains any financial interest in The Apprentice
appears rather ambiguous. I am curious about whether any part of any
licensing fees paid by our state broadcaster for another season of The
Apprentice wind up with Mr Trump, his family, or one of their varied
holdings.

If TVNZ holds any documentation that can demonstrate what part, if any, of
any licensing fee paid for The Apprentice winds up with Mr Trump (or his
family or one of their varied interests),  please provide it. If the sum
paid is commercially sensitive, please provide instead the percentage of
any sum paid instead.

If no such documentaries exists, please provide any documentation of any
due diligence undertaken in this respect, if any, including any internal
and external correspondence relating to this renewal and Mr Trump.

Please ignore any minor interest Mr Trump might have by virtue of minor
holdings in related companies, for example if he holds a few shares in
MGM. If Mr Trump or his affiliations hold no royalty rights over
international editions of The Apprentice, that suffices.

Yours faithfully,

Eric Crampton
[email address]

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