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U.S. Copyright Office
NewsNet

March 3, 1998
Issue no. 6
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For additional information, visit the Copyright Office homepage at http://www.copyright.gov.

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CONTENTS

* News*

1. Federal Register
     a. Rate Adjustment For Noncommercial Educational Broadcasting Compulsory License
     b. Mechanical And Digital Phonorecord Delivery Rate Adjustment Proceeding
     c. List Of Arbitrators For Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels Published

2. Legislative News
     a. H.R. 3209, Online Liability
     b. H.R. 3910, Compulsory License Improvement

3. Copyright Office News
     Filing Fee Information

* Calendar*

* To Subscribe/Unsubscribe to NewsNet*


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     * NEWS *

----------------Federal Register----------------

For the complete text of Federal Register announcements, visit the Copyright Office homepage at http://www.copyright.gov or the Government Printing Office homepage at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.

RATE ADJUSTMENT FOR NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPULSORY LICENSE (63 FR 5405)
Jan. 30, 1998, began the 180-day arbitration period for the adjustment of the rates for the noncommercial educational broadcasting license. Copies of the hearing schedule are available from the Copyright Office upon request.
LINK: http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/1998/63fr5405.html

MECHANICAL AND DIGITAL PHONORECORD DELIVERY RATE ADJUSTMENT PROCEEDING (63 FR 7288)
The Copyright Office announced final regulations that adjust royalty rates for reproduction and distribution of physical, that is, non-digital, phonorecords. The final regulations became effective Jan. 1, 1998. The rate adjustment for the use of digital phonorecords will be announced in the future.
LINK: http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/1998/63fr7288.html

LIST OF ARBITRATORS FOR COPYRIGHT ARBITRATION ROYALTY PANELS PUBLISHED (63 FR 9419)
On Feb. 25, 1998, the Copyright Office published the list of arbitrators eligible for service on a Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel during 1998 and 1999. The arbitrator list will be used to select the arbitrators who will serve on panels initiated in 1998 and 1999 for determining the distribution of royalty fees of the adjustment of royalty rates.
LINK: http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/1998/63fr9419.html

---------------LEGISLATIVE NEWS-----------------

Two bills that would amend the Copyright Act, title 17, U.S.C., were introduced in the House Feb. 12. Links to the complete text of the bills, introductory remarks, and legislative status are available via the Copyright Office Website at http://www.copyright.gov or via Thomas, the Library of Congress's legislative service at http://thomas.loc.gov.

H.R. 3209, THE ON-LINE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT LIABILITY LIMITATION ACT, among other provisions dealing with online liability for service providers, codifies the ruling in Religious Technology Center v. Netcom On-Line Communications Services, Inc.


H.R. 3210, THE COPYRIGHT COMPULSORY LICENSE IMPROVEMENT ACT, would make the section 119 satellite carrier license permanent (it has a sunset date right now of Dec. 31, 1999) and would reform the process by which royalty rates and distributions are set under the various compulsory licenses, replacing the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel (CARP) system with a Copyright Royalty Adjudication Board.


----------------COPYRIGHT OFFICE NEWS-----------------

FILING FEE INFORMATION
The current filing fees are effective through June 30, 1999. After that date, please write the Copyright Office, check the Copyright Office Website at http://www.copyright.gov, or call (202) 707-3000 for the latest fee information.


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* CALENDAR *

April 17, 1998
Publication date in Federal Register of eighth list of Notices of Intent to Enforce a copyright restored under the URAA

July 28, 1998
Arbitrators in proceeding for adjustment of rates for noncommercial educational broadcasting compulsory license will file written report with Librarian of Congress.

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