Legal News

Copyright Office Commences an Inquiry into the Proliferation of Performing Rights Organizations – Looking at the Complexity of Licensing Musical Works in the United States

By David Oxenford|2025-02-13T11:23:28-06:00February 13th, 2025|Legal News|

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…

FCC Enforcement Advisory Warns of Payola Concerns in Coercing Bands to Play at Broadcast Station Events with Threats of Decreased Airplay – and Reminds All Broadcasters, Radio and TV, of Sponsorship Identification Requirements

By David Oxenford|2025-02-11T09:35:39-06:00February 11th, 2025|Legal News|

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…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 3, 2025 to February 7, 2025

By David Oxenford and Keenan Adamchak|2025-02-09T07:31:14-06:00February 9th, 2025|Legal News|

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 National Music Publishers Association’s announcement that it had sent Spotify a take-down... Continue Reading…

NMPA Calls for Takedowns of Spotify Podcasts Using Unlicensed Music – A Reminder to Podcasters of the Perils of Music in Their Productions

By David Oxenford|2025-02-05T09:10:37-06:00February 5th, 2025|Legal News|

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…

It’s Back! American Music Fairness Act Proposing New Music Royalties for Over-the-Air Broadcasting Introduced in the New Congress

By David Oxenford|2025-02-04T11:11:23-06:00February 4th, 2025|Legal News|

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…

FHH Attorneys to Participate in MFM Webinar Series

By Emily Margolin|2025-02-03T13:08:41-06:00February 3rd, 2025|Legal News|

FHH attorneys Frank Montero and Seth Williams will present a webinar for the Media Financial Management Association’s town hall series. Their presentation, titled Advertising Marijuana and other “Vices” Under the Trump/Carr FCC, will take place March 20, 2025, at 2:00 PM EDT. The presentation will last about an hour, including time for questions. Those interested...… Continue Reading

FCC Enforcement Monitor January 2025

By Scott R. Flick, Elizabeth Craig and Adam J. Sandler|2025-01-30T09:46:28-06:00January 30th, 2025|Legal News|

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published the FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: Washington State Television Licensee Agrees to $29,000 Consent Decree for Public File Violations Numerous FCC Rule Infractions Lead to Notice of Violation for Virginia […]

Annual EEO Public File Report Deadline for Stations in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma

By Scott R. Flick, Elizabeth Craig and Adam J. Sandler|2025-01-24T09:32:37-06:00January 24th, 2025|Legal News|

February 1 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma to place their Annual EEO Public File Report in their Public Inspection File and post the report on their station website. Under the FCC’s EEO Rule, all radio and television station employment […]

Meeting Your Annual Children’s Television Programming Reporting Obligations

By Lauren Lynch Flick and Scott R. Flick|2025-01-13T11:14:10-06:00January 13th, 2025|Legal News|

The deadline to file the 2024 Annual Children’s Television Programming Report with the FCC is January 30, 2025, reflecting programming aired during the 2024 calendar year. In addition, commercial stations’ documentation of their compliance with the commercial limits in children’s programming during the 2024 calendar year must be placed in their Public Inspection File by […]