SoundExchange Plans Appeal Of CRB's New Rates

Ready To Appeal Rates

In FEBRUARY (NET NEWS 2/16), ALL ACCESS reported The COPYRIGHT ROYALTY BOARD Judges posted a 203 page document that lays out the details of the new rates for webcaters that went into affect on JANUARY 1, 2016. They wrote, "their written determination of royalty rates and terms to apply from JANUARY 1, 2016, through DECEMBER 31, 2020, to digital performance of sound recordings over the Internet by nonexempt, noninteractive transmission services and to the making of ephemeral recordings to facilitate those performances. The rate for commercial subscription services in 2016 is $0.0022 per performance. The rate for commercial nonsubscription services in 2016 is $0.0017 per performance. The rates for the period 2017 through 2020 for both subscription and nonsubscription services shall be adjusted to reflect the increases or decreases, if any, in the general price level, as measured by the Consumer Price Index applicable to that rate year, as set forth in the regulations adopted by this determination."

Now, SOUNDEXCHANGE has gone on record saying it plans to appeal the recently approved rates.

They posted, "SOUNDEXCHANGE believes, respectfully, that the webcasting rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) in the Web IV proceedings do not reflect a fair market price for music and will erode the value of music in our economy. We are therefore moving forward with an appeal to the decision. This is a lengthy, deliberate process and we are our unwavering in our position that all creators deserve fair compensation each and every time their music is used on any platform. We look forward to making our arguments on behalf of artists and record labels to the D.C. Circuit."

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