The Copyright Office is exploring the possible elimination of the compulsory copyright licenses that form the core of the must-carry system.… Continue Reading
The beginning of another year brings renewed obligations for all broadcasters who are operating a non-interactive webcast. If you're a NONCOMMERCIAL webcaster (as distinct from a noncommercial educational webcaster), check out your to-do list here.… Continue Reading
The beginning of another year brings renewed obligations for all broadcasters who are operating a non-interactive webcast. If you're a NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL webcaster, check out your to-do list here.… Continue Reading
The beginning of another year brings renewed obligations for all broadcasters who are operating a non-interactive webcast. If you're a COMMERCIAL webcaster, check out your to-do list here.… Continue Reading
All you non-interactive webcasters thinking about your budgeting for, say, the next five years: the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has announced the rates and terms that will apply to your operations for the period January 1, 2011-December 31, 2015.… Continue Reading
The NAB has endorsed a "Term Sheet" which would establish the existence of a "performance right" requiring radio licensees to pay royalties to musical artists. I have a gut feeling of inevitability -- but my real questions involve "when" and "how much".… Continue Reading
Before the chatter gets out of hand, it might be useful to clarify what we know and what we don't know about reports that the NAB may be moving toward some negotiated settlement on the performance rights front.… Continue Reading
Another piece of the ongoing ASCAP/BMI ratemaking puzzle has fallen into place - at least for a while: in late June the good folks at the Radio Music License Committee announced a final interim deal with BMI,… Continue Reading
A judge has superseded the interim royalty rates negotiated by ASCAP and the RMLC earlier this year. The result should please broadcasters, at least for the time being.… Continue Reading
For the upcoming 2011-2015 webcasting royalty term, the CRB is looking to impose overall terms and conditions identical to those reached in privately-negotiated settlement agreements developed in 2009.… Continue Reading
Inferiority never felt so superior. By successfully painting themselves as "Inferior Officers", the judges of the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) have dodged a preliminary bullet.… Continue Reading
Now that we've turned the corner into the New Year, there's even more reason for broadcasters to look into signing up with the Radio Music License Committee..… Continue Reading
Some radio broadcasters might have received letters recently -- from RMLC, ASCAP or BMI -- about negotiations for music licensing arrangements to replace the existing ASCAP/BMI deal which expires at year's end. Let's shed some light on the situation.… Continue Reading
As we reported recently, the FCC has invited comment on the Request for Declaratory Ruling filed by the MusicFIRST Coalition. For the convenience of our readers, we provided a link to a copy of the Request. Good thing that we did.… Continue Reading
A new front has been opened in the on-going struggle over the Performance Rights Act (PRA). MusicFIRST Coalition has tried to lure the FCC into the fray. And the FCC has taken the bait.… Continue Reading
As previously reported, a number of public radio entities settled with SoundExchange regarding the payment of royalties and filing of certain information regarding songs played over the Internet for the years 2006-2010, We've got a little more information now on who these stations will be dealing with.… Continue Reading
Radio stations that stream their content onto the Internet will want to keep an eye on a patent lawsuit accusing several major radio companies of patent infringement. The defendants allegedly substituted Internet-friendly content in place of more locally-oriented content that went out over the air, using methods for which the plaintiff supposedly holds a patent.… Continue Reading
We've created a handy step by step, we question/you answer format to figure out your options in light of SoundExchange/NAB and SoundExchange/CPB agreements that were made effective with publication in the Federal Register on March 3, 2009. Check it out.… Continue Reading
Eligible public radio stations might be able to throw off the shackles of the onerous Copyright Royalty Board decision of March 2007 in favor of a CPB-SoundExchange negotiated settlement.… Continue Reading
