[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 96 (Monday, May 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 29753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10608]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 19-CRB-0011-SD (2018)]


Distribution of 2018 Satellite Royalty Funds

AGENCY: Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress.

ACTION: Notice requesting comments.

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SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion of 
Allocation Phase claimants for partial distribution of 2018 satellite 
royalty funds.

DATES: Comments are due on or before June 17, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested claimants must submit timely comments using eCRB, 
the Copyright Royalty Board's online electronic filing application, at 
https://app.crb.gov/.
    Instructions: All submissions must include a reference to the CRB 
and this docket number. All submissions will be posted without change 
to eCRB at https://app.crb.gov/ including any personal information 
provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read submitted background 
documents or comments, go to eCRB, the Copyright Royalty Board's online 
electronic filing and case management system, at https://app.crb.gov/, 
and search for Docket No. 19-CRB-0011-SD (2018).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year satellite carriers must submit 
royalty payments to the Register of Copyrights as required by the 
statutory license set forth in section 119 of the Copyright Act for the 
retransmission to satellite subscribers of over-the-air television 
broadcast signals. See 17 U.S.C. 119(b). The Copyright Royalty Judges 
(Judges) oversee distribution of royalties to copyright owners whose 
works were included in a qualifying transmission and who timely filed a 
claim for royalties.
    Allocation of the royalties collected occurs in one of two ways. In 
the first instance, the Judges may authorize distribution in accordance 
with a negotiated settlement among all claiming parties. 17 U.S.C. 
119(b)(5)(A), 801(b)(3)(A). If all claimants do not reach an agreement 
with respect to the royalties, the Judges must conduct a proceeding to 
determine the distribution of any royalties that remain in controversy. 
17 U.S.C. 119(b)(5)(B), 801(b)(3)(B). Alternatively, the Judges may, on 
motion of claimants and on notice to all interested parties, authorize 
a partial distribution of royalties, reserving on deposit sufficient 
funds to resolve identified disputes. 17 U.S.C. 119(b)(5)(C), 
801(b)(3)(C).
    On May 11, 2020, representatives of all the Allocation Phase 
(formerly ``Phase I'') claimant categories \1\ filed with the Judges a 
motion requesting a partial distribution amounting to 40% of the 2018 
satellite royalty funds on deposit pursuant to section 801(b)(3)(C) of 
the Copyright Act. That statutory section requires that, before ruling 
on the motion, the Judges publish a notice in the Federal Register 
seeking responses to the motion for partial distribution to ascertain 
whether any claimant entitled to receive the subject royalties has a 
reasonable objection to the requested distribution. 17 U.S.C. 
801(b)(3)(C).
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    \1\ The representatives are Program Suppliers, Joint Sports 
Claimants, Broadcaster Claimants Group, Music Claimants (represented 
by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Broadcast 
Music, Inc., and SESAC, Inc.), and Devotional Claimants, which 
represent traditionally recognized claimant categories. The Judges 
have not determined, and do not by this notice determine, the 
universe of claimant categories for 2018 satellite retransmission 
royalties.
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    Accordingly, this notice seeks comments from interested claimants 
on whether any reasonable objection exists that would preclude the 
distribution of 40% of the 2018 satellite royalty funds to the 
Allocation Phase Claimants. Parties objecting to the proposed partial 
distribution must advise the Judges of the existence and extent of all 
their 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 the comment period.
    Members of the public may read the motion by accessing the 
Copyright Royalty Board's electronic filing and case management system 
at https://app.crb.gov/and searching for Docket No. 19-CRB-0011-SD 
(2018).

    Dated: May 13, 2020.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief U.S. Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2020-10608 Filed 5-15-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 1410-72-P