[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 96 (Monday, May 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29753-29754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10609]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 19-CRB-0010-CD (2018)]


Distribution of 2018 Cable 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 cable 
royalty funds.

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

ADDRESSES: Interested claimants must submit timely comments using eCRB,

[[Page 29754]]

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-0010-CD (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 cable systems must submit royalty 
payments to the Register of Copyrights as required by the statutory 
license detailed in section 111 of the Copyright Act for the 
retransmission to cable subscribers of over-the-air television and 
radio broadcast signals. See 17 U.S.C. 111(d). The Copyright Royalty 
Judges (Judges) oversee distribution of royalties to copyright owners 
whose works were included in a qualifying transmission and who file a 
timely 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. 
111(d)(4)(A), 801(b)(3)(A). If all claimants do not reach 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. 111(d)(4)(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. 111(d)(4)(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 pursuant to section 801(b)(3)(C) of the Copyright Act requesting 
a partial distribution amounting to 40% of the 2018 cable royalty funds 
on deposit. 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; Public Television Claimants; National Association of 
Broadcasters; American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; 
Broadcast Music, Inc.; SESAC, Inc.; Canadian Claimants Group; 
Devotional Claimants; and National Public Radio, 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 cable 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 cable royalty funds to the requesting 
claimant representatives. Parties objecting to the proposed partial 
distribution must advise the Judges of the existence and extent of all 
objections by the end of the comment period. The Judges will not 
consider any objections with respect to the partial distribution 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-0010-CD 
(2018).

    Dated: May 13, 2020.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief U.S. Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2020-10609 Filed 5-15-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 1410-72-P