In the Dec. 31, 2025, issue of the U.S. Federal Register, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) officially announced the commencement of three proceedings that will determine rates and terms for various music industry sectors. Those proceedings are on the making and distributing of phonorecords, known as Phonorecords V; for satellite radio and pre-existing subscription services, known as SDARS IV; and for public broadcasting, known as PB V. The rates and terms to be determined by the three proceedings are for the five-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2028, and ending Dec. 31, 2032.
As part of the announcement, the CRB called for interested parties who want to participate in the proceedings to fill out petitions and file them, and pay a $150 fee, to the CRB website, no later than Jan. 30, 2026. For each proceeding, the notice mentioned that the petition has been simplified. The petitions are available on eCRB — the Copyright Royalty Board’s electronic filing and case management system.
According to the commencement notices, which were issued by Copyright Royalty Judge Steve Ruwe, under the Copyright Act, the Copyright Royalty Judges generally must commence proceedings every fifth year:
- to determine rates and terms for making and distributing phonorecords pursuant to the statutory license as laid out in Section 115 of U.S. Copyright Law;
- to determine reasonable rates and terms to license the digital transmission of sound recordings and the making of ephemeral recordings to facilitate those transmissions by preexisting subscription services and preexisting satellite digital audio radio services as laid out in Sections 112 and 114.
- to determine rates and terms for the reproduction, distribution, performance or display of certain works by public broadcasting entities as defined in Section 118.
Only attorneys admitted to the bar in one or more states or in the District of Columbia are allowed to present interested parties in the proceedings, the notices state. However, individual interested parties may represent themselves and appear without legal counsel, according to the notice.
Daily newsletters straight to your inbox
Sign Up
