[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 54 (Thursday, March 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15816-15817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05686]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. CONSOLIDATED 2008-3 CRB DD (2007-2011 SRF)]


Distribution of Digital Audio Recording Royalty Funds

AGENCY: Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), Library of Congress.

ACTION: Final distribution determination.

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SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges announce their final 
determination of the distribution of the digital audio recording 
technology (DART) royalty fees in the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 
Sound Recordings Funds.

ADDRESSES: Docket: For access to the docket to read background 
documents, go to eCRB, the Copyright Royalty Board's electronic filing 
and case management system, at https://app.crb.gov/ and search for 
docket number CONSOLIDATED 2008-3 CRB DD (2007-2011 SRF).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 26, 2018, the Copyright Royalty 
Judges (Judges) commenced a proceeding to determine the distribution of 
the digital audio recording technology (DART) royalties in the 2007, 
2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Sound Recordings Funds, which, for purposes 
of this proceeding, consist of the Featured Recording Artists Subfund 
and the Copyright Owners Subfund. 83 FR 66312, 66313.\1\ The Judges had 
already distributed 100% of the royalties in the Featured Recording 
Artists Subfund of the 2008 Sound Recordings Fund. Id.; Distribution 
Order, Docket No. 2009-3 CRB DD 2008 (Jun. 24, 2009). Consequently, 
that subfund is not part of this proceeding. Because the Judges made 
only partial distributions of the 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Featured 
Recording Artist Subfunds and the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 
Copyright Owners Subfunds, those subfunds were covered by this 
proceeding (Covered Subfunds). Id.
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    \1\ Pursuant to sec. 1006(b)(1) of the Copyright Act, small 
portions of each fund have already been distributed to 
representatives for nonfeatured musicians and nonfeatured vocalists 
and are not part of this proceeding.
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    The Judges received Petitions to Participate (PTP) from David 
Powell, Eugene ``Lambchops'' Curry, Herman Kelly, and the Alliance of 
Artists and Recording Companies (AARC).\2\ Notice of Participants, 
Commencement of Voluntary Negotiation Period, and Case Scheduling Order 
(Attachment A) (Feb. 27, 2019).\3\ According to Copyright Royalty Board 
(CRB) claims records, Mr. Powell filed a claim for the 2007 Copyright 
Owners Subfund and for no other Covered Subfund. Mr. Curry filed a 
claim for the 2008 and 2010 Copyright Owners Subfunds and no other 
Covered Subfund. Mr. Kelly filed claims for all Covered Subfunds except 
the 2007 Featured Recording Artists Subfund and the 2007 Copyright 
Owners Subfund.

[[Page 15817]]

AARC filed claims for all Covered Subfunds. The following table 
summarizes the claims:
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    \2\ In its petition to participate, AARC states that it ``is a 
non-profit organization formed to administer the Audio Home 
Recording Act of 1992 * * * royalties for featured recording artists 
and sound recording copyright owners, who have authorized it to do 
so'' and ``represents over 440,000 featured recording artists and 
over 16,000 labels.'' AARC PTP at 2.
    \3\ The Judges dismissed the original Powell and Curry PTPs as 
defective, Order Granting AARC Motion to Reject David Powell's 
Defective Filings and Dismissing David Powell (Feb. 27, 2019); Order 
Granting AARC Motion to Reject Eugene Curry's Defective Filing and 
Dismissing Eugene Curry (Feb. 27, 2019), but later permitted Mr. 
Powell and Mr. Curry to file corrected PTPs after the filing 
deadline. Order Granting Motion of David Powell to Accept Late 
Petition to Participate (Jun. 19, 2019); Order Granting Eugene Curry 
Leave to File Late Petition to Participate (Apr. 19, 2019).

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                     Year                                      Subfund                      AARC            Curry            Powell           Kelly
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2007..........................................  FRA.................................         [check]   ...............  ...............  ...............
                                                CO..................................         [check]   ...............         [check]   ...............
2008..........................................  FRA.................................         [check]   ...............  ...............         [check]
                                                CO..................................         [check]          [check]   ...............         [check]
2009..........................................  FRA.................................         [check]   ...............  ...............         [check]
                                                CO..................................         [check]   ...............  ...............         [check]
2010..........................................  FRA.................................         [check]   ...............  ...............         [check]
                                                CO..................................         [check]          [check]   ...............         [check]
2011..........................................  FRA.................................         [check]   ...............  ...............         [check]
                                                CO..................................         [check]   ...............  ...............         [check]
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    Because no participant other than AARC filed a claim to the 2007 
Featured Recording Artist Subfund, the Judges determined that the 
royalties in that fund were not in controversy and were available for 
distribution to AARC. 84 FR 27362 (Jun. 12, 2019). Consequently, the 
2007 Featured Recording Artist Subfund is no longer a part of this 
proceeding.
    On April 24, 2019, AARC filed a Notice of Settlement on its own 
behalf and on behalf of Mr. Kelly. The Notice of Settlement stated that 
AARC and Mr. Kelly ``have reached a settlement for the relevant royalty 
years, 2008-2011, the years for which Kelly filed claims'' and that 
``AARC will represent Kelly as an AARC participant (member) in this 
consolidated proceeding . . . .'' Notice of Settlement at 1. Mr. Kelly 
is, therefore, no longer a separate participant in this proceeding.
    On January 15, 2020, the Judges granted AARC's Motion to Dismiss 
Eugene Curry from the 2007-2011 DART Sound Recordings Fund Copyright 
Owners Subfund Distribution Proceeding. See Order Granting AARC Motion 
to Dismiss Curry (Jan. 15, 2020).
    On January 17, 2020, the Judges granted AARC's Motion to Dismiss 
CGN's Claim to Any Portion of the 2007-2011 DART Sound Recordings Fund 
Copyright Owners Subfund. See Order Granting AARC Motion to Dismiss 
David Powell and Circle God Network (Jan. 17, 2020).\4\
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    \4\ At various points in this proceeding Mr. David Powell has 
filed documents as ``David Powell, Pro Se'' and ``circle god network 
inc d/b/a/david powell.'' Both appear to refer to the same party, 
and the Judges have dismissed that party.
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    Section 801(b)(3)(A) of the Copyright Act states that the Judges 
may authorize distribution of royalty fees collected pursuant to 
Section 1005 of the Copyright Act if they find that the distribution is 
not subject to controversy. 17 U.S.C. 801(b)(3)(A). In the current 
proceeding, AARC is the only remaining party with claims to DART 
royalties in the 2009, 2010, and 2011 Featured Recording Artists 
Subfunds and the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Copyright Owners 
Subfunds. Therefore, the DART royalties in the enumerated Subfunds are 
not in controversy.
    The Judges therefore order that the remaining royalties in the 
2009, 2010, and 2011 Featured Recording Artists Subfunds of the Sound 
Recording Funds and the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Copyright 
Owners Subfunds of the Sound Recording Funds be distributed to AARC.
    The Judges will forward this determination to the Register of 
Copyrights and the Librarian of Congress for review and approval. The 
Librarian shall publish this Determination within 60 days of the date 
of this order. This Determination will become final upon publication in 
the Federal Register.
    So Ordered.

    Dated: January 22, 2020.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief United States Copyright Royalty Judge.
David R. Strickler,
United States Copyright Royalty Judge.
Steve Ruwe,
United States Copyright Royalty Judge.

    The Register of Copyrights closed her review of this 
Determination on March 6, 2020, with no finding of legal error.

    Dated: March 9, 2020.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief United States Copyright Royalty Judge.
Carla D. Hayden,
Librarian of Congress.
[FR Doc. 2020-05686 Filed 3-18-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 1410-72-P