[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 17272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05812]



[[Page 17272]]

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 21-CRB-0008-CD (2020 CD)]


Distribution of 2020 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 2020 cable 
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-0008-CD (2020 CD). 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 number 21-CRB-0008-CD (2020 CD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita Brown, 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 agreement 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 December 30, 2022, 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 2020 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; Devotional Claimants; 
Commercial Television Claimants; Canadian Claimants Group; National 
Public Radio; American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; 
Broadcast Music, Inc.; 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 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 2020 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 number 21-CRB-0008-CD 
(2020 CD).

    Dated: March 16, 2023.
David P. Shaw,
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2023-05812 Filed 3-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-72-P