Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. On our Broadcast Law Blog, we discussed the FCC Enforcement Advisory released last week warning of payola concerns in coercing... Continue Reading…
In the United States, performing rights in musical compositions (or “musical works” as the Copyright Act refers to them – the words and music of a song) are generally licensed by a “performing rights organization” or a “PRO.” The U.S., unlike most countries where there is a single organization that collects these royalites, has multiple... Continue Reading…
When in January I offered my predictions as to the issues that the new FCC would be considering this year, payola and musical artists complaining of being coerced to play for free at radio station concerts or other events was not on the bingo card. That changed early this past week when Tennessee Senator Marsha... Continue Reading…
For years, we have warned about the need to license music in podcasts – and how such licenses need to be obtained directly from copyright holders. We’ve noted demand notices sent to podcasters causing those podcasters to pull their programs from various distribution platforms (see, for instance, our articles here and here). We warned that,... Continue Reading…
Last week, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the American Music Fairness Act (see their Press Release for more details), with a companion bill to follow in the House. If adopted, this legislation would impose a new music royalty on over-the-air radio stations. The royalty would be payable to SoundExchange for the public performance of... Continue Reading…
For the last few years at this time of the year, we’ve departed from our usual coverage of legal and policy issues to talk about something else – broadcasters giving back. With Giving Tuesday upon us, we wanted to urge our readers to consider ways to give back to our industry. I guess it is... Continue Reading…
For the last few years at this time of the year, we’ve departed from our usual coverage of legal and policy issues to talk about something else – broadcasters giving back. With Giving Tuesday upon us, we wanted to urge our readers to consider ways to give back to our industry. I guess it is... Continue Reading…
President-elect Trump this week selected sitting FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to be the new Chairman of the FCC starting on Inauguration Day, January 20. As a sitting Commissioner, Carr can become permanent Chair immediately – no Senate confirmation is necessary. Current FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced that, as is traditional, she will not only step... Continue Reading…
Since 2015, TV broadcasters that transmit any emergency information visually in text during non-news programming have been required to convert that information into an audio broadcast on a station’s Secondary Audio Programming channel (its “SAP channel”). The SAP channels are usually used for Spanish and other non-English translations of the audio on TV programs. As... Continue Reading…