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The Copyright Royalty Judges have started a process to determine fair rates and terms for making and distributing phonorecords from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2027. Interested parties who want to participate must file a "Petition to Participate" using the Copyright Royalty Board's online system and pay a $150 fee by February 4, 2021. The process is part of the statutory license outlined in 17 U.S.C. 115 and happens every five years. Legal representation is required unless an individual chooses to represent themselves.

The Copyright Royalty Judges have issued a decision on how to interpret a regulation about “Gross Proceeds” for royalty payments under the 17 U.S.C. 112 license. This interpretation was needed due to a dispute between SoundExchange and Music Choice about how much Music Choice should pay in royalties for using digital sound recordings in business establishments. The Judges concluded that all fees and payments should be considered in these "Gross Proceeds," except certain in-kind payments, which only count if they're strictly for helping with the business service's operation. This decision was made to clarify the ambiguity in the existing regulations and ensure fair compensation for the use of music in business settings.

The Copyright Royalty Judges have received a notice from SoundExchange, Inc. to audit the royalty payments made by Rockbot, Inc.'s Business Establishment Service for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. This audit ensures compliance with the statutory licensing terms for digital audio transmissions, as per the Copyright Act. SoundExchange is responsible for collecting and distributing these royalties to the rightful owners and performers. The notice of intent to audit was submitted on December 18, 2020, and this summary fulfills the requirement to publish in the Federal Register.