Issue 253 - March 28, 2005

Copyright Office Announces Voluntary Negotiation Period for Rate Adjustment for Satellite Carrier Compulsory License

The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress announces the voluntary negotiation period for the purpose of determining the royalty fees for the retransmission of digital over-the-air television broadcast signals by satellite carriers under the statutory license (17 U.S.C. 119). The voluntary negotiation period begins on March 25, 2005, and concludes on April 25, 2005. Voluntary agreements must be submitted no later that April 25, 2005. (Read further information.)

Copyright Office Amends Regulations on Group Registration of Published Photographs

The Copyright Office is amending its final regulations concerning group registration of published photographs to limit to 750 the number of photographs that may be identified on continuation sheets submitted with a single application form and filing fee. The regulation continues to place no limit on the number of photographs that may be included in a single group registration when the applicant elects not to use continuation sheets and instead identifies the date of publication for each photograph on the deposited image and the applicant meets the other regulatory requirements for group registration of published photographs. The regulation also clarifies that the date of publication for each photograph may be identified in a text file on the CD-ROM or DVD that contains the photographic images or on a list that accompanies the deposit and provides the publication date for each image. This amendment is effective March 28, 2005. (Read further information.)