[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21285-21286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06536]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 22-CRB-0006-SD (2021)]


Distribution of 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 2021 satellite 
royalty funds.

DATES: Comments are due on or before April 26, 2024.

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 22-CRB-0006-SD (2021). 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 22-CRB-0006-SD (2021).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year satellite providers must submit 
royalty payments to the Register of Copyrights as required by the 
statutory license detailed 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

[[Page 21286]]

resolve identified disputes. 17 U.S.C. 119(b)(5)(C), 801(b)(3)(C).
    On March 12, 2024, representatives of all the Allocation Phase 
Parties 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 2021 satellite 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\ For the purpose of distribution of satellite royalty funds, 
the Allocation Phase Parties are Program Suppliers, Joint Sports 
Claimants, Commercial Television Claimants, Devotional Claimants, 
and the Music Claimants, who are comprised of the American Society 
of Composers, Authors and Publishers, SESAC Performing Rights, LLC, 
and Broadcast Music, Inc. The Judges have not determined, and do not 
by this notice determine, the universe of claimant categories for 
2021 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 the requested amounts of the 2021 satellite royalty 
funds to the Allocation Phase Parties. 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 22-CRB-0006-SD 
(2021).

    Dated: March 22, 2024.
David P. Shaw,
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2024-06536 Filed 3-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-72-P