[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 25626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10242]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

U.S. Copyright Office

[Docket No. 2014-03]


Music Licensing Study

AGENCY: U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

ACTION: Notice of public roundtables.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Copyright Office is undertaking a study to evaluate 
the effectiveness of current methods for licensing musical works and 
sound recordings. The study will assess whether and how existing 
methods serve the music marketplace, including new and emerging digital 
distribution platforms. In addition to soliciting written comments, the 
Office is conducting three two-day public roundtables on music 
licensing issues. A Notice of Inquiry soliciting written comments in 
response to a number of subjects was issued on March 17, 2014, and 
written comments are due on or before May 16, 2014. See 78 FR 14739 
(Mar. 17, 2014). At this time, the Copyright Office announces three 
public roundtables to be held in June 2014 in Nashville, Los Angeles, 
and New York.

DATES: The two-day public roundtable in Nashville will be held on June 
4 and 5, 2014, on both days from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The two-day 
public roundtable in Los Angeles will be held on June 16 and 17, 2014, 
on both days from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The two-day public roundtable 
in New York will be held on June 23 and 24, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m. on June 23, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 24. 
Requests to participate in the roundtables must be received by the 
Copyright Office by May 20, 2014.

ADDRESSES: The Nashville roundtable will take place at Belmont 
University's Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, 34 
Music Square East, Nashville, Tennessee 37203. The Los Angeles 
roundtable will take place at the UCLA School of Law, 385 Charles E. 
Young Drive East, Los Angeles, California 90095. The New York 
roundtable will take place at the New York University School of Law, 40 
Washington Square South, New York, New York 10012. Requests to 
participate in the roundtables should be submitted using the form 
available on the Office's Web site at http://www.copyright.gov/docs/musiclicensingstudy. If electronic submission is not feasible, please 
contact the Office at 202-707-8350 for special instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacqueline C. Charlesworth, General 
Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights, by email at 
[email protected] or by telephone at 202-707-8350; or Sarang V. 
Damle, Special Advisor to the General Counsel, by email at [email protected] 
or by telephone at 202-707-8350.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Congress is currently engaged in a 
comprehensive review of the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 101 et seq., 
to evaluate potential revisions to the law in light of technological 
and other developments that impact the creation, dissemination, and use 
of copyrighted works. In light of Congress's review and significant 
changes to the music industry in recent years, the U.S. Copyright 
Office is conducting a study to assess the effectiveness of current 
methods for licensing sound recordings and musical works. The Office 
published a Notice of Inquiry on March 17, 2014, seeking written 
comments on twenty-four subjects concerning the current environment in 
which music is licensed. See 78 FR 14739 (Mar. 17, 2014).
    At this time, the Copyright Office is providing notice of its 
intention to seek further input for its study through three two-day 
public roundtables to be held in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York. 
The public roundtables will offer an opportunity for interested parties 
to comment on pertinent music licensing issues. The roundtables will 
address topics set forth in the Notice of Inquiry, including: The 
current music licensing landscape; licensing of sound recordings, 
including under the Section 112 and 114 statutory licenses and the 
treatment of pre-1972 recordings; licensing of musical works, including 
under the Section 115 statutory license and through the performing 
rights organizations (``PROs''); fair royalty rates and platform 
parity; industry data standards; industry incentives and investment; 
and potential future developments in music licensing. Following 
discussion of the various agenda topics by roundtable participants, 
observers at the roundtables will be provided a limited opportunity to 
offer additional comments.
    The roundtable hearing rooms will have a limited number of seats 
for participants and observers. Those who seek to participate should 
complete and submit the form available on the Office's Web site at 
http://www.copyright.gov/docs/musiclicensingstudy so it is received by 
the Office no later than May 20, 2014. For individuals who wish to 
observe a roundtable, the Office will provide public seating on a 
first-come, first-serve basis on the days of the roundtable.

    Dated: April 30, 2014.
Jacqueline C. Charlesworth,
General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights.
[FR Doc. 2014-10242 Filed 5-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-30-P