[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47120-47121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19155]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 2012-3 CRB DD 2011]


Distribution of 2011 DART Sound Recordings Fund Royalties

AGENCY: Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress.

ACTION: Notice soliciting comments on motion for partial distribution.

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SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion for 
partial distribution in connection with 2011 DART Sound Recordings Fund 
royalties.

DATES: Comments are due on or before September 6, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent electronically to [email protected]. In the 
alternative, send an original, five copies, and an electronic copy on a 
CD either by mail or hand delivery. Please do not use multiple means of 
transmission. Comments may not be delivered by an overnight delivery 
service other than the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail. If by mail 
(including overnight delivery), comments must be addressed to: 
Copyright Royalty Board, P.O. Box 70977, Washington, DC 20024-0977. If 
hand delivered by a private party, comments must be brought to the 
Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, LM-401, 101 
Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000. If delivered by a 
commercial courier, comments must be delivered to the Congressional 
Courier Acceptance Site located at 2nd and D Street NE., Washington, 
DC. The envelope must be addressed to: Copyright Royalty Board, Library 
of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, LM-403, 101 Independence 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaKeshia Keys, Program Specialist, by 
telephone at (202) 707-7658 or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 11, 2012, the Alliance of Artists 
and Recording Companies (``AARC''), on behalf of itself and claimants 
with which it has reached settlements (the ``Settling Claimants'') 
filed with the Judges a Notice of Settlement and Request for Partial 
Distribution of the 2011 DART Sound Recordings Fund Featured Recording 
Artists and Copyright Owners Subfunds Royalties (``Notice and 
Request''). In the Notice and Request, AARC states that the Settling 
Claimants have reached a settlement among themselves concerning 
distribution of the 2011 DART Sound Recordings Fund Royalties. With 
respect to the Featured Recording Artists Subfund, AARC represents that 
it has reached settlements with all but two claimants for that subfund 
and that the nonsettling claimants have sales totaling 2,517 in a 
universe of over one billion claimants' sound recordings sold in 2011. 
Notice and Request at 3. With respect to the Copyright Owners Subfund, 
AARC represents that it has reached settlements with all but five 
claimants. AARC represents that the nonsettling claimants have combined 
sales of 2,531 in a universe of over one billion claimants' record 
sales in 2011. Id. AARC requests a partial distribution of 98% from 
each of the subfunds

[[Page 47121]]

pursuant to Section 801(b)(3)(C) of the Copyright Act. Under that 
section of the Copyright Act, before ruling on a partial distribution 
motion the Judges must publish a notice in the Federal Register seeking 
responses to the motion to ascertain whether any claimant entitled to 
receive such royalty fees has a reasonable objection to the proposed 
distribution. Consequently, this Notice seeks comments from interested 
claimants on whether any reasonable objection exists that would 
preclude the distribution of 98% of the 2011 DART Sound Recordings 
Royalty funds (Featured Recording Artists Subfund and Copyright Owners 
Subfund) to the Settling Claimants. The Judges must be advised of the 
existence and extent of all such objections by the end of the comment 
period. The Judges will not consider any objections with respect to the 
partial distribution motion that come to their attention after the 
close of that period.
    The Notice and Request is posted on the Copyright Royalty Board Web 
site at http://www.loc.gov/crb.

    Dated: August 1, 2012.
Suzanne M. Barnett,
Chief U.S. Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2012-19155 Filed 8-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-72-P