Copyright Law Updates | New Statutes, Regulations and Rules
January 26, 2009
New Law Facilitates Settlement on Internet Plays of Copyrighted Sound Recordings
Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008
Public Law No: 110-435, H.R.7084, S.3649, 12/17/2008
About a month before he left the White House, then U.S. President George W. Bush signed into law the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 (“WSA”). The new law allows SoundExchange and online webcasters of copyright-protected media content to enter into a settlement regarding royalty rates for all copyrighted sound recordings.
The WSA was enacted in response to a decision issued by the Copyright Royalty Board on May 1, 2007 increasing the royalty rates webcasters were required to pay to webcast sound recordings. The rate determination was contested by Internet radio stations such as Pandora.com. The statute aims to facilitate…
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