Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Copyright Royalty Judges publish their ruling on regulatory interpretation that was referred to them by the United States District Court for the District Of Columbia. The regulation at issue is about gross revenue exclusions that a satellite digital audio radio service may use when calculating royalty payments owed to SoundExchange, a collective for copyright owners, for digital transmissions of sound recordings pursuant to a statutory license. The Judges find that Sirius XM properly interpreted the regulation to apply to pre-'72 sound recordings and that it improperly excluded certain revenues from its Gross Revenues royalty base.

The Copyright Royalty Judges announce a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in the royalty rates that commercial and noncommercial noninteractive webcasters pay for eligible transmissions pursuant to the statutory licenses for the public performance of and for the making of ephemeral reproductions of sound recordings.

The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on proposed rates and terms for use of certain works in connection with noncommercial broadcasting for the period commencing January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2022.

The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit reply comments on the legal issue of the purported reach of the proposed rules relating to a cable system license royalty surcharge for retransmission of broadcasts of certain professional sports events.

The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion for partial distribution in connection with 2015 DART Sound Recordings Fund royalties.

The Copyright Royalty Judges seek reply comments regarding a proposed new Copyright Royalty Board rule that would authorize the Judges to bar, either temporarily or permanently, certain individuals and entities from participating in proceedings before the Judges.

The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) publish for comment proposed regulations to require covered cable systems to pay a separate per-telecast royalty (a Sports Surcharge) in addition to the other royalties that that cable system must pay under Section 111 of the Copyright Act.

The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion of Allocation Phase Claimants for partial distribution of 2015 cable royalty funds.

The Copyright Royalty Judges propose to adopt a new Copyright Royalty Board rule that would authorize the Judges to bar, either temporarily or permanently, certain individuals and entities from participating in proceedings before the Judges.

The Copyright Royalty Judges publish final regulations that set continued, unaltered rates and terms for subpart A configurations subject to the statutory license to use nondramatic musical works to make and distribute phonorecords of those works (the Mechanical License). In addition, the Judges correct an outdated cross-reference in the regulations.

The Copyright Royalty Judges announce settlement of controversies and requests for partial distribution of cable television distant retransmission royalties claimed by National Public Radio (NPR) and Music Claimants. National Public Radio appeared in this proceeding on its own behalf and on behalf of its NPR Members retransmitted as distant signals by cable television operators. Music Claimants include Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), as well as SESAC, Inc.

The Copyright Royalty Judges announce receipt of two notices of intent to audit the 2013, 2014, and 2015 statements of account submitted by broadcasters Cox Radio (Docket No. 17-CRB-0009-AU) and Hubbard Broadcasting (Docket No. 17-CRB-0008-AU) concerning royalty payments each made pursuant to two statutory licenses.

The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) announce commencement of a proceeding \1\ to determine reasonable royalty rates and terms for the recording of ephemeral copies of sound recordings pursuant to 17 U.S.C. 112(e)(1) to facilitate digital audio transmissions of those sound recordings to business establishments pursuant to the limitation on exclusive rights specified by 17 U.S.C. 114(d)(1)(C)(iv). The royalty rates and terms the Judges determine in this proceeding will apply during the period beginning January 1, 2019, and ending December 31, 2023. The Judges also announce the date by which a party wishing to participate in the rate determination proceeding must file its Petition to Participate and pay the accompanying $150 filing fee.