Copyright Office Publishes Final Rule Discontinuing Form CO and Deleting References to CON1 and CON2
Issue No. 452 - March 28, 2012
The Copyright Office is amending its regulations to discontinue use of the Form CO application as an option for applying for copyright registration. The removal of Form CO leaves applicants a choice of filing an application for registration electronically or of using the appropriate printed application form relating to the subject matter of the application. The amendment also removes the references to CON 1 and CON 2 continuation sheets. The regulations now refer only to the continuation sheets currently available for applicants filing paper applications. The final rule makes other housekeeping amendments relating to applications for copyright registration. For further information, see www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2012/77fr18705.pdf.
Copyright Office Publishes Final List of Specialty Stations
The Copyright Office is publishing a final list of stations listed in affidavits sent to the Copyright Office in which the owner or licensee of the station attests that the station qualifies as a specialty station in accordance with the Federal Communications Commission's definition of specialty station in effect on June 24, 1981. The list shall be used to verify the specialty station status of those stations identified as such by cable systems on their semiannual statements of account. The list is applicable to statements of account filed with the Copyright Office beginning with the first accounting period of 2012 and covering January 1, 2012, to June 30, 2012. For further information, see www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2012/77fr18869.pdf.
Copyright Office Initiates Rulemaking on New Fee Schedule
The Copyright Office is proposing the adoption of new fees for registering claims, recording documents, providing certain special services and Licensing Division services, and processing Freedom of Information Act requests. The proposed fees would recover a significant part of the costs to the Office for services that benefit both copyright owners and the public. The proposed fees would provide full cost recovery for many services that benefit only or primarily the user of that service. As part of the fee-setting process, the Office is providing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed changes before it submits the fee schedule to Congress for review. Comments are due on May 14, 2012. The Copyright Office strongly prefers that comments be submitted electronically. A comment page containing a comment form is posted on the Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov/docs/newfees/comments/. All comments will be posted publicly on the Copyright Office website exactly as they are received, together with names and organizations. For further information, see www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2012/77fr18742.pdf.