[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 17271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05811]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 21-CRB-0009-SD (2020 SD)]


Distribution of 2020 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 2020 satellite 
royalty funds.

DATES: Comments are due on or before April 21, 2023.

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 docket number) 21-CRB-0009-SD (2020 SD). 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. 21-CRB-0009-SD (2020 SD).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year satellite providers 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 agreement 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 March 9, 2023, 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 2020 
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; Commercial Television Claimants Group; Devotional 
Claimants; Broadcast Music, Inc.; American Society of Composers, 
Authors and Publishers; and SESAC, Inc., which represent 
traditionally recognized claimant categories. The Judges have not 
determined, and do not by this notice determine, the universe of 
claimant categories for 2020 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 2020 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. 21-CRB-0009-SD 
(2020 SD).

    Dated: March 16, 2023.
David P. Shaw,
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2023-05811 Filed 3-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-72-P