[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 108 (Thursday, June 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 34467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12096]


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Royalty Board

[Docket No. 20-CRB-0008-CA (2020-2025)]


Adjustment of Cable Statutory License Royalty Rates

AGENCY: Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress.

ACTION: Notice announcing commencement of proceeding with request for 
petitions to participate.

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SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) announce the 
commencement of a proceeding to adjust the rates for the cable 
statutory license described in section 111 of the Copyright Act. The 
Judges also announce the date by which a party who wishes to 
participate in the proceeding must file its Petition to Participate and 
pay the $150 filing fee.

DATES: Petitions to Participate and the filing fee are due no later 
than July 6, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The petition to participate form is available online in 
eCRB, the Copyright Royalty Board's online electronic filing 
application, at https://app.crb.gov/.
    Instructions: The petition to participate process has been 
simplified. Interested parties file a petition to participate by 
filling out the petition to participate form in eCRB and paying the fee 
in eCRB. Do not upload a petition to participate document.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read submitted 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 20-CRB-0008-CA.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 111 of the Copyright Act grants a statutory copyright 
license to cable television systems for the retransmission of over-the-
air television and radio broadcast stations to their subscribers. 17 
U.S.C. 111(c). In exchange for the license, cable operators submit 
royalty payments and statements of account detailing their 
retransmissions semiannually to the Copyright Office. 17 U.S.C. 
111(d)(1). The Copyright Office deposits the royalties into the United 
States Treasury for later distribution to copyright owners of the 
broadcast programming that the cable systems retransmit. 17 U.S.C. 
111(d)(2).
    A cable system calculates its royalty payments in accordance with 
the statutory formula described in 17 U.S.C. 111(d)(1). See 37 CFR 387. 
Royalty rates are based upon a cable system's gross receipts from 
subscribers who receive retransmitted broadcast signals. For rate 
calculation purposes, cable systems are divided into three tiers based 
on their gross receipts (small, medium, and large). 17 U.S.C. 
111(d)(1)(B) through (F). Both the applicable rates and the tiers are 
subject to adjustment. 17 U.S.C. 801(b)(2). Every five years persons 
with a significant interest in the royalty rates may file petitions to 
initiate a proceeding to adjust the rates. 17 U.S.C. 804(a) and (b). No 
person with a significant interest has filed a petition to initiate a 
proceeding in 2020.\1\ The Judges must, therefore, publish notice in 
the Federal Register announcing the commencement of a proceeding and 
calling for Petitions to Participate. See 17 U.S.C. 803(b)(1).
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    \1\ With respect to the rates for the 2015-2019 period, the 
Judges adopted a settlement proposed by the participants to leave 
the then-current rates unchanged. 81 FR 62813, 62814 (Sept. 13, 
2016).
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Petitions To Participate

    Parties filing Petitions to Participate must use the form in eCRB 
instead of uploading a document and must comply with the requirements 
of Sec.  351.1(b) of the Copyright Royalty Board's regulations. 37 CFR 
351.1(b).

    Dated: June 1, 2020.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2020-12096 Filed 6-3-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 1410-72-P