Search Results for agency_names:"Copyright Royalty Board"

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 from the Library of Congress have amended regulations to revise how digital music providers pay for the costs of a mechanical licensing collective. This change aims to make the payment process fairer, particularly for smaller music licenses and download services, without altering the total fees. Starting in 2021, these fees will involve a flat rate for smaller licensees and those operating download stores, while larger users will face different rules. These amendments provide more flexibility and clarity in how these fees are allocated and paid.

The Copyright Royalty Board is correcting a proposed rule initially published on December 19, 2024, which concerns digital performance rates and ephemeral recordings for new subscription services from 2026 to 2030. The original document had a mistake in the rate adjustment formulas because it missed some parentheses, making the equations incorrect. This new document fixes those formulas. Comments on the proposed rule can be submitted online until March 12, 2025, using the Copyright Royalty Board's electronic filing system.

The Copyright Royalty Judges are proposing an amendment to their regulations to allow flexibility in how they conduct hearings. Traditionally held in person at the Library of Congress, the hearings could also take place at an alternative location or virtually, depending on the situation. This change aims to adapt to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many hearings to shift online. The Judges are inviting public comments on this proposed rule change.

The Copyright Royalty Judges announced that they received notices from SoundExchange, Inc. to audit the financial reports for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019 from several commercial webcasting companies like Cumulus Media and Pandora Media, LLC. This audit is to ensure that the royalties due under certain licenses, which let these companies legally stream digital audio, have been paid correctly. SoundExchange is authorized to do such audits once a year, and they must notify both the companies involved and publish in the Federal Register within 30 days of filing the notice. This notice fulfills that requirement for the audits initiated by SoundExchange.

The Copyright Royalty Judges have received notifications from SoundExchange, Inc., indicating their intent to audit the royalty payments made by commercial webcasters Alpha Media LLC and Univision Communications Inc. for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. The audits are to verify the correctness of the royalty payments according to statutory licenses covering certain digital audio transmissions. This notice in the Federal Register meets the Judges' requirement to publish this information. SoundExchange, as the designated organization, is responsible for collecting and distributing these royalties to relevant copyright owners and performers.

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.

The Copyright Royalty Judges received notices from SoundExchange, Inc. indicating their intent to audit royalty payments from commercial and non-commercial webcasters for the years 2021 to 2023. These audits will examine the accuracy of royalty payments made by companies like Beasley Mezzanine Holdings, iHeartMedia, and Family Stations, Inc., under statutory licenses. SoundExchange is responsible for collecting and distributing these royalties and can conduct such audits once a year to ensure compliance. This notice was published to fulfill the requirement of announcing these intentions in the Federal Register.

The Copyright Royalty Judges have received a notice from SoundExchange, Inc., expressing their intent to audit Music Choice. This audit aims to check the royalty payments made by Commercial Webcasters, Preexisting Subscription Services, and Business Establishment Services for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. According to the rules, SoundExchange can audit a licensee once a year for the past three years to ensure proper royalty payments. The notice of this audit was filed on December 18, 2020, and must be published in the Federal Register within 30 days.

The Copyright Royalty Board is updating regulations for its electronic filing system, eCRB. These updates allow attorney designees with approved accounts to file documents electronically on behalf of attorneys. The changes are part of a final rule effective February 16, 2021. The Board also sets guidelines for the use of eCRB passwords and privacy measures to protect sensitive information filed within the system.