U.S. Copyright Office Publishes Official Music Webcasting Royalty Rates

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 13, 2004 - 9:03am.

Washington -- The U.S. Copyright Office this week published the long-delayed official royalty rates that webcasters must pay to stream music online, essentially approving an agreement proposed in April 2003 between the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and a group of large webcasters. The rates, which many webcasters long argued with the RIAA and regulators would be prohibitively high for them to remain in business, will be effective for the period of 2003-2004. Webcasters must make a payment for the period of Jan. 1, 2003 through Feb. 29, 2004 by April 14, and from then on will make monthly payments. The Copyright Office also officially established SoundExchange -- an entity set up by the RIAA -- as the sole collector of these royalties, responsible for distributing payments to artists and copyright holders.
http://www.copyright.gov/newsnet/2004/218.html
http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2004/69fr5693.html
http://makeashorterlink.com/?T22342767
http://www.soundexchange.com