[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60185-60186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23654]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 14-CRB-0006 DART SR (2013)]


Distribution of 2013 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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[[Page 60186]]

SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion for 
partial distribution in connection with 2013 DART Sound Recordings Fund 
royalties.

DATES: Comments are due on or before November 5, 2014.

ADDRESSES: The Notice and Request is posted on the agency's Web site 
(www.loc.gov/crb). Submit electronic comments to [email protected]. See the 
Supplementary Information section below for instructions on submitting 
comments in other formats.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 19, 2014, 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 Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) a Notice of Settlement 
and Request for Partial Distribution of the 2013 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 2013 DART Sound Recordings Fund 
Royalties. With respect to the Featured Recording Artists Subfund, AARC 
represents that it has reached settlements with all but three claimants 
for that subfund and that the nonsettling claimants have unit sales 
totaling 76,269.86\1\ in a universe of over one billion claimants' 
sound recordings sold in 2013. Notice and Request at 2. 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 unit sales of 16,693 in a universe 
of over one billion claimants' record sales in 2013. Id.
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    \1\ The decimal in this figure represents credit for part of the 
sale of an album. Mr. Clinton and Mr. Ford have some tracks on 
albums sold, and they get credit for those tracks.
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    AARC requests a partial distribution of 98% from each of the 
subfunds 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 2013 DART 
Sound Recordings Royalty funds (Featured Recording Artists Subfund and 
Copyright Owners Subfund) to the Settling Claimants. ANY PARTY WISHING 
TO ADVISE THE JUDGES OF THE EXISTENCE AND EXTENT OF AN OBJECTION MUST 
DO SO, IN WRITING, 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 Judges have received notice of apparent objections from non-
settling claimants George Clinton and Ronald Ford (by email, which is 
not an acceptable method of filing), and Eugene Curry/Tajai Music Inc., 
all appearing pro se. All three claimants state, inter alia, that the 
figures representing sales of their copyrighted material were not 
accurately calculated by the moving party's expert. Notice of 
Individual Claimant Eugene Curry/Tajai Music Inc, for the Request for 
the Distribution of the Remaining 2% of the Copyright Owners 2013 
Subfund Royalties at 1 (September 19, 2014); Email to crb (Copyright 
Royalty Board) from Carlon Thompson regarding claimants Clinton and 
Ford at 2 (August 25, 2014, 1:43 p.m.).
    The Judges will also accept comments addressing the three 
claimants' informal objections by the end of the comment period.

How To Submit Comments

    Interested claimants must submit comments to only one of the 
following addresses. Unless responding by email, claimants must submit 
an original, five paper copies, and an electronic version on a CD.
    Email: [email protected]; or
    U.S. mail: Copyright Royalty Board, PO Box 70977, Washington, DC 
20024-0977; or
    Overnight service (only USPS Express Mail is acceptable): Copyright 
Royalty Board, P.O. Box 70977, Washington, DC 20024-0977; or
    Commercial courier: Address package to: Copyright Royalty Board, 
Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, LM-403, 101 
Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000. Deliver to: 
Congressional Courier Acceptance Site, 2nd Street NE and D Street NE., 
Washington, DC; or
    Hand delivery: Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial 
Building, LM-401, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20559-
6000.

    Dated: September 30, 2014.
Suzanne M. Barnett,
Chief U.S. Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2014-23654 Filed 10-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-72-P