Sound Exchange

SoundExchange and College Broadcasters, Inc. Reach Groundbreaking Agreement on Webcasting Rates

Artists, Students will see Benefits of Streaming

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SoundExchange

SoundExchange and College Broadcasters, Inc. are proud to announce an agreement which will offer special rates to college radio stations which stream sound recordings over the Internet. These terms, along with more lenient recordkeeping requirements, will mean college stations and other noncommercial educational webcasters can pay a minimum fee to compensate artists and rights owners whose recordings are played, and pay standard per-performance rates only when they exceed certain limits on listenership.

SoundExchange, SIRIUS-XM agree to new webcasting rates

Negotiated terms will help artists and business see “streaming” revenue

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SoundExchange

SoundExchange, the non-profit performance rights organization, and SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio are proud to announce a new agreement governing Sirius’s streaming of sound recordings over the Internet. These terms, which include a per-performance rate and a $500 minimum fee per channel, will allow SIRIUS XM to continue growing its business while still considering the rights of artists to be compensated when their recordings are played.

A Joyful Noise: SoundExchange, Religious broadcasters reach agreement on royalty rates

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SoundExchange

SoundExchange, the non-profit performance rights organization, and the National Religious Broadcasters Music License Committee announced early this morning an agreement to govern royalty rates for webcasting for the years 2006-2015. The terms for these noncommercial stations include a reduced per-performance rate from the CRB rate set in 2007 and a more lenient recordkeeping requirement, while still considering the right of artists and copyright holders to be compensated when their recordings are played. The noncommercial stations have agreed to step up to higher rates for the latter half of the term, reflecting the increasing value of sound recordings.

SIRIUS XM’s ‘royalty fee’ to users more than twice CRB rate

SoundExchange has received questions regarding SIRIUS XM’s recent decision to charge a $1.98 per month fee to its subscribers, which it reports “will be used directly to offset increased royalty payments from SIRIUS XM to the recording industry”. The Copyright Royalty Board set SIRIUS XM’s digital performance royalty rate at 6.5% of revenues for 2009 (6.5% of $12.99 = 84 cents), but SIRIUS is charging more than twice that ($1.98 = 15.2%) for the ‘U.S. Music Royalty Fee’. We don’t know how SIRIUS XM came up with this figure, but they have not shared the math with us.  Feel free to contact them with have any questions regarding this fee.

SIRIUS XM's 'royalty fee' to users more than twice CRB rate

SoundExchange has received questions regarding SIRIUS XM’s recent decision to charge a $1.98 per month fee to its subscribers, which it reports “will be used directly to offset increased royalty payments from SIRIUS XM to the recording industry”. The Copyright Royalty Board set SIRIUS XM’s digital performance royalty rate at 6.5% of revenues for 2009 (6.5% of $12.99 = 84 cents), but SIRIUS is charging more than twice that ($1.98 = 15.2%) for the ‘U.S. Music Royalty Fee’. We don’t know how SIRIUS XM came up with this figure, but they have not shared the math with us.  Feel free to contact them with have any questions regarding this fee.

Webcaster Terms Published in Federal Register

SoundExchange is pleased to announce that the rates and terms of the agreement reached with purepleay webcasters have been entered into the federal register (74 Fed. Reg. 34796, July 17, 2009), beginning the 30-day period opt-in period. Eligible webcasters wishing join in the terms of this agreement must file a Notice of Election (form available here) with SoundExchange within 30 days.

SoundExchange Welcomes D.C. Circuit Upholding Webcasting Rates

SoundExchange welcomes the decision of the D.C. Circuit upholding almost all aspects of the webcasting rates and terms set by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) for the 2006-2010 term.  As part of a carefully reasoned analysis, the court further solidified the CRB’s decision, based in large part upon evidence presented by SoundExchange in arguments before the CRB.   The only issue remanded by the D.C. Circuit to the CRB relates to the minimum fee obligations of webcasters.  SoundExchange has already reached agreements with the largest webcasting groups on this same issue, and we plan to work towards resolution with the remaining services as directed by the CRB.

SoundExchange and “PurePlay” Webcasters Reach Unprecedented Experimental Rate Agreement

Music’s creators to share in webcasting revenue and growth

CONTACT: BRYAN CALHOUN 202-640-5894
BCALHOUN@SOUNDEXCHANGE.COM  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SoundExchange announced today innovative, experimental new terms for “pureplay” commercial webcasters, covering royalties for the Internet streaming of sound recordings that offer the potential for artists and copyright holders to share in the revenue growth of pureplay webcasters.

President Obama Signs Webcaster Settlement Act Extension

SoundExchange is pleased that the request for an extension of the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008 was granted and signed by the President Obama yesterday.  H.R. 2344 provides that webcasters will have thirty days after enactment to negotiate alternative royalty rates with sound recording copyright owners to the rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board in 2007.