The Federal Register

Hearings:

Fri, Mar 29 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The United States Copyright Office will host a public hearing to discuss issues relating to the consideration of a federal resale royalty right in the United States. The meeting will provide a forum for interested parties to address the legal and factual questions raised in the comments received by this Office in response to its September 2012 Notice of Inquiry.\1\
\1\ 77 FR 58175 (Sept. 19, 2012), available at http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2012/77fr58175.pdf.

Fri, Mar 22 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The United States Copyright Office (hereinafter Copyright Office or Office) is in the process of identifying and evaluating potential improvements and technical enhancements to the information technology platforms that support its registration and recordation functions, including its online registration system. These efforts are part of the Office's ongoing special projects, commenced October 25, 2011 (available at the Office's Web site at www.copyright.gov/docs/priorities.pdf). The information garnered through this process has and will continue to inform the development of the Copyright Office's long term strategic plan, scheduled to commence in October 2013.

At this time, the Office seeks comments regarding existing capabilities and future possibilities. Broadly, the Office seeks comments on (1) how stakeholders use the current online offerings of the Copyright Office, especially with respect to registration and recorded documents, a

Remedies for Small Copyright Claims:

Tue, Feb 26 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The United States Copyright Office is requesting public comment for the third time on the topic of adjudicating small copyright claims. The Office is studying whether and, if so, how the current legal system hinders or prevents copyright owners from pursuing copyright claims that have a relatively small economic value and will discuss, with appropriate recommendations, potential changes in administrative, regulatory, and statutory authority. At this time, the Office seeks additional comments on possible alternatives to the current system to improve the adjudication of such claims.

Thu, Feb 14 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The United States Copyright Office is extending the deadline for filing reply comments regarding its notice of proposed rulemaking concerning the establishment of a fee schedule for filing cable and satellite statements of account for use of the statutory licenses that provide for the secondary transmission of broadcast programming by cable and satellite companies.

Fri, Jan 25 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Fri, Jan 18 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Copyright Royalty Judges are soliciting comments on a motion of Phase I claimants for partial distribution in connection with the 2011 satellite royalty funds. The Judges are also requesting comments as to the existence of Phase I and Phase II controversies with respect to the distribution of 2011 satellite royalty funds.

Fri, Jan 18 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Copyright Royalty Judges are soliciting comments on a motion of Phase I claimants for partial distribution in connection with the 2011 cable royalty funds. The Judges are also requesting comments as to the existence of Phase I and Phase II controversies with respect to the distribution of 2011 cable royalty funds.

Intent to Audit:

Mon, Jan 14 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Copyright Royalty Judges are announcing receipt of a notice of intent to audit the 2009, 2010, and 2011 statements of account submitted by Last.fm, Ltd., concerning the royalty payments made pursuant to two statutory licenses.

Wed, Jan 9 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Copyright Office is amending its regulations to clarify its practices for providing refunds of cable royalties under the provisions of the Satellite Television Extension and
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Localism Act of 2010 (``STELA''). A cable operator must pay royalties to and file Statements of Account with the Office every six months in order to use the statutory license that allows for the retransmission of overtheair broadcast signals under 17 U.S.C. 111. STELA allows a cable operator to calculate its royalty obligation for the carriage of distant signals on a communitybycommunity basis for accounting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2010, instead of calculating its royalty obligation based on the system as a whole. STELA also states that a cable operator shall not be subject to an infringement action if it used the subscriber group methodology to calculate its royalty obligation in a Statement filed prior to the effective date of STELA. Although a cable operator cannot be held liable for usi