[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 3427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00857]
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Copyright Royalty Board
[Docket No. 19-CRB-0014-AU (Slacker, Inc.)]
Notice of Intent to Audit
AGENCY: Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), Library of Congress.
ACTION: Public notice.
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SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges announce receipt of a notice of
intent to audit the 2016, 2017, and 2018 statements of account
submitted by licensee Slacker, Inc. concerning the royalty payments it
made pursuant to two statutory licenses.
ADDRESSES: Docket: For access to the docket to read background
documents, go to eCRB, the Copyright Royalty Board's electronic filing
and case management system, at https://app.crb.gov/ and search for
docket number 19-CRB-0014-AU (Slacker, Inc.).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita Blaine, Program Specialist, by
telephone at (202) 707-7658 or by email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Copyright Act, title 17 of the United
States Code, grants to sound recordings copyright owners the exclusive
right to publicly perform sound recordings by means of certain digital
audio transmissions, subject to limitations. Specifically, the
performance right is limited by the statutory license in section 114,
which allows nonexempt noninteractive digital subscription services,
eligible nonsubscription services, pre-existing subscription services,
and preexisting satellite digital audio radio services to perform
publicly sound recordings by means of digital audio transmissions. 17
U.S.C. 114(f). In addition, a statutory license in section 112 allows a
service to make necessary ephemeral reproductions to facilitate the
digital transmission of the sound recording. 17 U.S.C. 112(e).
Licensees may operate under these licenses provided they pay the
royalty fees and comply with the terms set by the Copyright Royalty
Judges. The rates and terms for the section 112 and 114 licenses are
set forth in 37 CFR parts 380 and 382 through 384.
As part of the terms for these licenses, the Judges designated
SoundExchange, Inc., as the Collective, i.e., the organization charged
with collecting royalty payments and statements of account submitted by
eligible licensees and with distributing royalties to the copyright
owners and performers entitled to receive them under the section 112
and 114 licenses. See, e.g., 37 CFR 380.2(a).
As the Collective, SoundExchange may, only once a year, conduct an
audit of a licensee for any or all of the prior three calendar years in
order to verify royalty payments. SoundExchange must first file with
the Judges a notice of intent to audit a licensee and deliver the
notice to the licensee. See, e.g., 37 CFR 380.6(b)-(c).
On December 20, 2019, SoundExchange filed with the Judges a notice
of intent to audit commercial webcaster Slacker, Inc., for the years
2016, 2017, and 2018. The Judges must publish notice in the Federal
Register within 30 days of receipt of a notice announcing the
Collective's intent to conduct an audit. See 37 CFR 380.6(c). Today's
notice fulfills this requirement with respect to SoundExchange's notice
of intent to audit filed December 20, 2019.
Dated: January 15, 2020.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2020-00857 Filed 1-17-20; 8:45 am]
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