All about copyright, understanding music licensing, and government regulations.
The European Commission has cleared Apple’s purchase of Beats. The trade regulator determined that while both companies do have overlap in goods and services sold, they don’t have a strong enough joint presence in Europe to cause competition concerns. However, the news isn’t all good for Beats and its likely new owner. Continue Reading
In this Part 3 of his Summer of Copyright series, broadcast law attorney David Oxenford writes about a new music licensing comment period established by the U.S. Copyright Office. It is first an opportunity for all stakeholders and interested parties to weigh in. Second, the detailed request for comments illuminates how the Copyright Office seems to be prioritizing possible changes to music licensing. Continue Reading
Sony/ATV/EMI announced that its complete catalog of songs is now visible on its website. “As the world’s leading music publisher we want to ensure that existing users, prospective licensees and those with a need to access our extensive song list are provided with that capability,” said Martin Bandier, the company’s chairman. Continue Reading
REELRADIO, which streams radio airchecks, announced that it received a copyright compliance notice from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The company notes that structural and technical facts make compliance difficult. Continue Reading
The simmering legal battle for collective licensing took a new turn last week. Martin Bandier, chairman of Sony/ATV/EMI, said that his company would consider withdrawing from the U.S. collective licensing system unless the Department of Justice overhauls the current regulations for song performance rights. Continue Reading
Of all the issues woven into potential music-licensing reform during this “Summer of Copyright” (part 1 and part 2), none is larger, more publicized, or more intractable than whether broadcast radio should lose its exemption from paying performance royalties. The latest volley in an ongoing inflammatory argument is by the advocacy group musicFIRST, which has launched an ad campaign intended to attract the attention of selected legislators in their home districts Continue Reading
Bloomberg is citing unnamed sources in a report that SoundCloud is near to closing deals with record labels for their content to appear on the popular crowdsourced listening platform. If the report plays out as fact, Soundcloud will gain needed elbow room to compete with other music services, unhindered by legal distractions that have troubled SoundCloud recently. Continue Reading
Broadcast law attorney David Oxenford continues his “Summer of Copyright” series with Part 2, covering the second Judiciary Committee hearing of music licensing issues. This extraordinary summary, and identification of key issues, is a must-read. “These are significant issues that affect all of the music industry. And they are issues that are not easily resolved, as many stakeholders have differing and sometimes inconsistent and contradictory positions on these issues.” Continue Reading