The full decision of the Copyright Royalty Board on Internet Radio royalties, excluding confidential information , has now been made public and is available here. The rates were adopted by the Copyright Royalty Board after a long hearing held last year, and after argument by the parties appearing in the case. We’ll have more details on the decision and the Board’s reasoning in the coming days, but the 203 pages of the decision are now available for your review. MORE
The SAG Board met yesterday and re-affirmed actions already taken in writing two weeks earlier: the ouster of former National Executive Director Doug Allen and the replacement of the negotiating team. The Board’s vote would appear to render moot a lawsuit filed last week by SAG president Alan Rosenberg. The change results from two Membership First board members, Angela Watson and Keith Carradine, breaking ranks and voting with the SAG moderates. MORE
Copyright Royalty Board Webcasting Ruling MORE
Last week, the Copyright Royalty Board published in the Federal Register its decision on Internet radio royalties for 2011-2015. At one point in summarizing the rates that had been proposed by the parties that had originally participated in the case, the Board noted that all had proposed per song per listener rates, surmising that no percentage of revenue rate was offered based on the perception that the Board had not in the past been open to such a royalty plan. MORE
When Google’s current Chief Business Officer Omid Kordestani mysteriously took a seat on Spotify’s board of directors , this was just the latest in a series of moves extending Google’s dominant business influence throughout the Internet economy. “ This is, of course, a reminder of the typical interlocking boards and investors in the clubby world of Silicon Valley venture capital and technology companies. A keiretsu ( ?? , MORE
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office thinks consumers might confuse a streaming 'Jaws' cooking program with the silver-screen shark of the same name. read more. THR, Esq. Movies Movies THR Online MORE
The Pulitzer Prize Board has named its winners for 2014. On the list: The Guardian US and the Washington Post won for public service, for coverage of the Edward Snowden story, the Boston Globe won the breaking news prize for MORE
For the second time in two days, a judge won't dismiss a battle over Sumner Redstone's competency. read more. THR, Esq. The Business Television Business THR Online MORE
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg are among the defendants. read more. THR, Esq. The Business Movies Business THR Online MORE
The Copyright Royalty Board has begun the hearing phase of its proceeding to set the royalties to be paid by webcasters (or noninteractive digital music ser vices) for public performances of sound recordings for the years 2016-2020. After the presentation of the witnesses, the parties’ lawyers again stand before the Board to present closing statements, orally summarizing the evidence that has been presented and arguing where that evidence should lead the CRB. MORE
James Murdoch was re-elected to the Board of Directors of BSkyB. More here from The Hollywood Reporter MORE
Current WGA West president Patric Verrone is running for one of the open board seats, but not for president (I believe there are term limits). There are 16 candidates nominated to run for eight open seats on the WGAW’s Board of Directors, as follows: Luvh Rakhe, Linda Burstyn, Mick Betancourt, Jan Oxenberg, Howard A. Members seeking nomination for the Board of Directors must obtain 25 member signatures in support of their petitions. MORE
The New York Times Editorial Board - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.comIn 1992, Bill Clinton ran on the promise of “two for the price of one”: If he was elected, Americans would also get Hillary Clinton, lawyer and activist Democrat, working for them in the White House. MORE
Are MGM and Paramount Pictures union-busting? Is the American Federation of Musicians tampering with witnesses in a lawsuit over wages and benefits? A labor dispute escalates. read more. THR, Esq. Business Movies Music Business THR Online Labor MORE
The retirement plan is said to have lost $2-3 million because of an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the bank. MORE
The move today was SAG’s, whose national board has now unanimously established a merger taskforce to work with AFTRA to develop “a formal plan to unite SAG and AFTRA members in one union,” in the words of a SAG statement. The goal is ambitious: to have a plan for approval by the two unions’ national boards in January 2012. MORE
The Law Practice Division of the American Bar Association is currently accepting applications from those interested in serving on the division’s various boards and committees. The members of these boards help produce ABA Techshow, Law Practice magazine, the Law Practice Today webzine, books, education programs, and other initiatives. The post Want to Serve on the ABA Law Practice Magazine Editorial Board? MORE
Google has entered into a proposed settlement agreement with a group of Google shareholders that sued Google’s top executives and board members for breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, corporate waste and unjust enrichment. MORE
The deal, which provides for 2% annual pay increases and a one-time 1.5% boost in pension and health, will soon go to the membership for ratification, with a ballot return date in January. Details: The Hollywood Reporter. Watch for my new book “Hollywood on Strike!,” due out next month. Subscribe to my blog ( jhandel.com ) for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Check out my residuals chart there too. Go to the blog itself to subscribe via RSS or email. MORE
What also can’t be said enough: Where was the board? Everything is not awesome at 1 Hacker Way. No, the House of Zuck is in serious trouble over many aspects of the business model that Sheryl Sandberg perfected for Facebook. MORE
At a videoconference meeting today in New York and LA, AFTRA’s national board unanimously voted to approve joint bargaining with SAG for the Primetime Television Contract and the SAG TV/theatrical contract. The move comes a month after SAG’s national board voted, by a tally of 82% to 18%, to “seek engagement with AFTRA in a joint bargaining agreement for negotiation of the Television/Theatrical Contract.” MORE
The text of the Copyright Royalty Board decision on Internet Radio Royalties for 2026-2020 was released last Friday. Thus, the Board determined that the rate for nonsubscription, noninteractive services should be $.0017 Prior to making its decision, the Board had asked for legal guidance from the Copyright Office, asking for a legal opinion as to whether the setting a bifurcated rate was legally permissible under the provisions of the Copyright Act. MORE
Many candidates were reelected, but new winners include two Membership First leaders—SAG 1 st VP Anne-Marie Johnson (AFTRA national board) and former SAG Hollywood Board member David Jolliffe (AFTRA Los Angeles local board)—as well as Membership First member Alan Ruck (AFTRA national board). I believe they join several MF stalwarts already on one or the other AFTRA boards. Johnson and Jolliffe bring a particularly interesting dynamic to the AFTRA boards. MORE
On Friday, the Copyright Royalty Board published in the Federal Register a proposal for changes in its recordkeeping rules – suggesting more detailed requirements for larger webcasters who are required to report the songs that they play on a “ census” basis – that would be most webcasters who are required to report the songs that they play, how often they were played, and how many people listened when they were played each time. MORE
Via the Guardian: Umesh Pandey, who has been the editor of the Bangkok Post since 2016, says he has stepped down from that position under pressure from the Board of Editors because he will not "tone down" his criticism of MORE
A ballot referendum recommending ratification will soon go out to members, for return by mid-January. Details: The Hollywood Reporter. Watch for my new book “Hollywood on Strike!,” due out next month. Subscribe to my blog ( jhandel.com ) for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Check out my residuals chart there too. Go to the blog itself to subscribe via RSS or email. Or, follow me on Twitter , friend me on Facebook , or subscribe to my Forbes.com or Huffington Post articles. MORE
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today issued a decision basically upholding the royalty rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board due under Section 114 of the Copyright Act by satellite radio operators for the public performance of sound recordings. The Court decision rejected SoundExchange's challenges to the decision of the Board to apply the 801(b) factor which instructed it to take into account the impact of the royalty on the stability of the industry. MORE
A decision by the US Court of Appeals on the appeal of the Copyright Royalty Board decision as to the Sirius XM and Music Choice royalties for the public performance of sound recordings is one of the many year-end decisions important to broadcasters and digital media companies that seems to be flooding out from Courts and agencies in DC and elsewhere. MORE
Keryn Redstone adds more family drama to Viacom board circus. read more. THR, Esq. The Business Business THR Online MORE
One of the most unusual aspects of the non-profit collective to be established under the Music Modernization Act is the method of codifying the number of seats on the board of directors (and a couple other boards) and designating the characteristics of the kind of person who gets to hold those seats. (Of The composition of an organization’s board is something that is always handled in the organization’s by-laws. Board members–serve at your peril. MORE
The Copyright Royalty Board Decision on the royalty rates to be paid for the public performance of sound recordings by Internet radio companies – webcasting royalties – was published in the Federal Register today. Intellectual Property Internet Radio Music Rights copyright royalty board appeal small webcaster sound recording performance royalty webcasting royalties MORE
Yet, strangely enough, the leaders of the losing hardline faction will all find seats on the national board, and will continue to be a shadow government within the union’s Hollywood board—a board on which, in contrast, none of the key moderate leaders will be voting members. The moderates seemingly have 27 seats on the Hollywood board out of 55 (because 27 = 6 seats pre-election plus 21 additional seats won in the election). MORE
The SAG National Board meeting began this morning at 9:00 a.m. Spotted among the hardline group were Ed Asner and National Board member Frances Fisher. accompanied by light informational leafleting from pro and con sources. The meeting is expected to be contentious. The leafleting was not. About 20 pro-hardline leafletters showed up, and about 5 anti-strike folks. MORE
The SAG National Board meeting, which began about 9:00 a.m. As I left, food arrived, suggesting more long hours for the sleep-deprived board, including the jet-lagged New Yorkers and regional (RBD) members. Meanwhile, inside the James Cagney Room, the oversize SAG board – 71 people if all members attended or were represented by alternates – were holding an undoubtedly contentious meeting, accompanied by an unknown number of staff members. MORE
In a struggle over power, and with the possible fate of would-be merger between CBS and Viacom on the line, Redstone scores the first big win in CBS' audacious lawsuit. read more. THR, Esq. Television Television Business THR Online MORE
The Entertainment trades are reporting that the SAG Board today voted to reject the “final&# offer made by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, setting the stage for more turmoil and the possibility of an Actor’s strike. MORE
SoundExchange last week filed an appeal of the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision on webcasting royalties (a decision which we summarized here and here ), as reported by a number of trade press articles. Intellectual Property Internet Radio Music Rights Noncommercial Broadcasting arbitrary and capricious copyright royalty board appeal soundexchange royalties webcasting royalty rates MORE
The deal was approved by 93 percent read more. The Business THR Online THR, Esq. Television SAG-AFTRA Labor Business MORE
SAG yesterday released the official list of candidates for its upcoming national board elections. Notably, all of the open seats in LA (the Hollywood Division) are held by MembershipFirst members, which means that, as was the case last year, MF can at best maintain its level of representation on the national board. More likely, it will lose some of its board seats. On the Hollywood divisional board, MF could gain or lose, as all division seats are up every year. MORE
"There is no world in which Mr. Dauman and Mr. Abrams could have vetoed" the decision to replace nearly half of the Viacom board, states the letter. MORE
It seems like every streaming company, and every financial analyst and reporter covering the media beat has been breathlessly awaiting the release of the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision on Internet Radio Royalties that will apply to noninteractive streaming companies during the years 2016-2020. Intellectual Property Internet Radio Music Rights copyright royalty board Internet radio royalties webcasting royalties MORE
Voting on party lines, a sharply divided SAG board approved the tentative deal with the studios yesterday by a vote of about 53% to 47%. The balloting material will be accompanied by both pro and con statements, and the fight over the deal will be a prelude to SAG’s presidential and board elections, which will commence in July and run through September. On a personal note, I had a surreal experience outside yesterday’s board meeting. MORE
For details, see my THR piece: [link]. ——————. Watch for my new book “Hollywood on Strike!,” due out this month. Subscribe to my blog ( jhandel.com ) for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Check out my residuals chart there too. Go to the blog itself to subscribe via RSS or email. Or, follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook. If you work in tech, check out my book How to Write LOIs and Term Sheets MORE
Board Related Topics Media Law Prof Blog
MAY 15, 2018
Via the Guardian: Umesh Pandey, who has been the editor of the Bangkok Post since 2016, says he has stepped down from that position under pressure from the Board of Editors because he will not "tone down" his criticism of
Broadcast Law Blog
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
The full decision of the Copyright Royalty Board on Internet Radio royalties, excluding confidential information , has now been made public and is available here. The rates were adopted by the Copyright Royalty Board after a long hearing held last year, and after argument by the parties appearing in the case. We’ll have more details on the decision and the Board’s reasoning in the coming days, but the 203 pages of the decision are now available for your review.
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
MAY 17, 2018
In a struggle over power, and with the possible fate of would-be merger between CBS and Viacom on the line, Redstone scores the first big win in CBS' audacious lawsuit. read more. THR, Esq. Television Television Business THR Online
Music Technology Policy
FEBRUARY 13, 2016
Copyright Royalty Board Webcasting Ruling
Digital Media Law
JANUARY 12, 2009
The SAG National Board meeting began this morning at 9:00 a.m. Spotted among the hardline group were Ed Asner and National Board member Frances Fisher. accompanied by light informational leafleting from pro and con sources. The meeting is expected to be contentious. The leafleting was not. About 20 pro-hardline leafletters showed up, and about 5 anti-strike folks.
Digital Media Law
FEBRUARY 9, 2009
The SAG Board met yesterday and re-affirmed actions already taken in writing two weeks earlier: the ouster of former National Executive Director Doug Allen and the replacement of the negotiating team. The Board’s vote would appear to render moot a lawsuit filed last week by SAG president Alan Rosenberg. The change results from two Membership First board members, Angela Watson and Keith Carradine, breaking ranks and voting with the SAG moderates.
Broadcast Law Blog
APRIL 30, 2014
Last week, the Copyright Royalty Board published in the Federal Register its decision on Internet radio royalties for 2011-2015. At one point in summarizing the rates that had been proposed by the parties that had originally participated in the case, the Board noted that all had proposed per song per listener rates, surmising that no percentage of revenue rate was offered based on the perception that the Board had not in the past been open to such a royalty plan.
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
JUNE 1, 2016
Keryn Redstone adds more family drama to Viacom board circus. read more. THR, Esq. The Business Business THR Online
Music Technology Policy
FEBRUARY 17, 2018
One of the most unusual aspects of the non-profit collective to be established under the Music Modernization Act is the method of codifying the number of seats on the board of directors (and a couple other boards) and designating the characteristics of the kind of person who gets to hold those seats. (Of The composition of an organization’s board is something that is always handled in the organization’s by-laws. Board members–serve at your peril.
Digital Media Law
DECEMBER 9, 2010
The deal, which provides for 2% annual pay increases and a one-time 1.5% boost in pension and health, will soon go to the membership for ratification, with a ballot return date in January. Details: The Hollywood Reporter. Watch for my new book “Hollywood on Strike!,” due out next month. Subscribe to my blog ( jhandel.com ) for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Check out my residuals chart there too. Go to the blog itself to subscribe via RSS or email.
Digital Media Law
FEBRUARY 27, 2010
At a videoconference meeting today in New York and LA, AFTRA’s national board unanimously voted to approve joint bargaining with SAG for the Primetime Television Contract and the SAG TV/theatrical contract. The move comes a month after SAG’s national board voted, by a tally of 82% to 18%, to “seek engagement with AFTRA in a joint bargaining agreement for negotiation of the Television/Theatrical Contract.”
Broadcast Law Blog
MAY 2, 2016
The Copyright Royalty Board Decision on the royalty rates to be paid for the public performance of sound recordings by Internet radio companies – webcasting royalties – was published in the Federal Register today. Intellectual Property Internet Radio Music Rights copyright royalty board appeal small webcaster sound recording performance royalty webcasting royalties
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
FEBRUARY 7, 2018
Are MGM and Paramount Pictures union-busting? Is the American Federation of Musicians tampering with witnesses in a lawsuit over wages and benefits? A labor dispute escalates. read more. THR, Esq. Business Movies Music Business THR Online Labor
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
MARCH 21, 2016
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office thinks consumers might confuse a streaming 'Jaws' cooking program with the silver-screen shark of the same name. read more. THR, Esq. Movies Movies THR Online
Media Law Prof Blog
APRIL 14, 2014
The Pulitzer Prize Board has named its winners for 2014. On the list: The Guardian US and the Washington Post won for public service, for coverage of the Edward Snowden story, the Boston Globe won the breaking news prize for
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
DECEMBER 2, 2015
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg are among the defendants. read more. THR, Esq. The Business Movies Business THR Online
Broadcast Law Blog
APRIL 29, 2015
The Copyright Royalty Board has begun the hearing phase of its proceeding to set the royalties to be paid by webcasters (or noninteractive digital music ser vices) for public performances of sound recordings for the years 2016-2020. After the presentation of the witnesses, the parties’ lawyers again stand before the Board to present closing statements, orally summarizing the evidence that has been presented and arguing where that evidence should lead the CRB.
Broadcast Law Blog
FEBRUARY 16, 2016
The text of the Copyright Royalty Board decision on Internet Radio Royalties for 2026-2020 was released last Friday. Thus, the Board determined that the rate for nonsubscription, noninteractive services should be $.0017 Prior to making its decision, the Board had asked for legal guidance from the Copyright Office, asking for a legal opinion as to whether the setting a bifurcated rate was legally permissible under the provisions of the Copyright Act.
Gordon P. Firemark
FEBRUARY 21, 2009
The Entertainment trades are reporting that the SAG Board today voted to reject the “final&# offer made by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, setting the stage for more turmoil and the possibility of an Actor’s strike.
Digital Media Law
APRIL 11, 2011
The retirement plan is said to have lost $2-3 million because of an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the bank.
Digital Media Law
JUNE 22, 2009
Current WGA West president Patric Verrone is running for one of the open board seats, but not for president (I believe there are term limits). There are 16 candidates nominated to run for eight open seats on the WGAW’s Board of Directors, as follows: Luvh Rakhe, Linda Burstyn, Mick Betancourt, Jan Oxenberg, Howard A. Members seeking nomination for the Board of Directors must obtain 25 member signatures in support of their petitions.
Digital Media Law
DECEMBER 4, 2010
A ballot referendum recommending ratification will soon go out to members, for return by mid-January. Details: The Hollywood Reporter. Watch for my new book “Hollywood on Strike!,” due out next month. Subscribe to my blog ( jhandel.com ) for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Check out my residuals chart there too. Go to the blog itself to subscribe via RSS or email. Or, follow me on Twitter , friend me on Facebook , or subscribe to my Forbes.com or Huffington Post articles.
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
JULY 29, 2016
For the second time in two days, a judge won't dismiss a battle over Sumner Redstone's competency. read more. THR, Esq. The Business Television Business THR Online
Digital Media Law
OCTOBER 5, 2010
For details, see my THR piece: [link]. ——————. Watch for my new book “Hollywood on Strike!,” due out this month. Subscribe to my blog ( jhandel.com ) for more about entertainment law and digital media law. Check out my residuals chart there too. Go to the blog itself to subscribe via RSS or email. Or, follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook. If you work in tech, check out my book How to Write LOIs and Term Sheets
Broadcast Law Blog
JUNE 8, 2016
SoundExchange last week filed an appeal of the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision on webcasting royalties (a decision which we summarized here and here ), as reported by a number of trade press articles. Intellectual Property Internet Radio Music Rights Noncommercial Broadcasting arbitrary and capricious copyright royalty board appeal soundexchange royalties webcasting royalty rates
Digital Media Law
SEPTEMBER 27, 2009
Yet, strangely enough, the leaders of the losing hardline faction will all find seats on the national board, and will continue to be a shadow government within the union’s Hollywood board—a board on which, in contrast, none of the key moderate leaders will be voting members. The moderates seemingly have 27 seats on the Hollywood board out of 55 (because 27 = 6 seats pre-election plus 21 additional seats won in the election).
Digital Media Law
APRIL 30, 2011
The move today was SAG’s, whose national board has now unanimously established a merger taskforce to work with AFTRA to develop “a formal plan to unite SAG and AFTRA members in one union,” in the words of a SAG statement. The goal is ambitious: to have a plan for approval by the two unions’ national boards in January 2012.
Communications And Entertainment Law Blog
APRIL 13, 2016
The New York Times Editorial Board - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.comIn 1992, Bill Clinton ran on the promise of “two for the price of one”: If he was elected, Americans would also get Hillary Clinton, lawyer and activist Democrat, working for them in the White House.
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
DECEMBER 8, 2014
The deal was approved by 93 percent read more. The Business THR Online THR, Esq. Television SAG-AFTRA Labor Business
Digital Media Law
JUNE 3, 2009
Many candidates were reelected, but new winners include two Membership First leaders—SAG 1 st VP Anne-Marie Johnson (AFTRA national board) and former SAG Hollywood Board member David Jolliffe (AFTRA Los Angeles local board)—as well as Membership First member Alan Ruck (AFTRA national board). I believe they join several MF stalwarts already on one or the other AFTRA boards. Johnson and Jolliffe bring a particularly interesting dynamic to the AFTRA boards.
Media Law Prof Blog
NOVEMBER 1, 2012
James Murdoch was re-elected to the Board of Directors of BSkyB. More here from The Hollywood Reporter
Digital Media Law
JANUARY 13, 2009
The SAG National Board meeting, which began about 9:00 a.m. As I left, food arrived, suggesting more long hours for the sleep-deprived board, including the jet-lagged New Yorkers and regional (RBD) members. Meanwhile, inside the James Cagney Room, the oversize SAG board – 71 people if all members attended or were represented by alternates – were holding an undoubtedly contentious meeting, accompanied by an unknown number of staff members.
Music Technology Policy
JULY 28, 2014
When Google’s current Chief Business Officer Omid Kordestani mysteriously took a seat on Spotify’s board of directors , this was just the latest in a series of moves extending Google’s dominant business influence throughout the Internet economy. “ This is, of course, a reminder of the typical interlocking boards and investors in the clubby world of Silicon Valley venture capital and technology companies. A keiretsu ( ?? ,
THR, Esq. Entertainment & Media Law Blog
JUNE 28, 2016
"There is no world in which Mr. Dauman and Mr. Abrams could have vetoed" the decision to replace nearly half of the Viacom board, states the letter.
Broadcast Law Blog
MAY 5, 2014
On Friday, the Copyright Royalty Board published in the Federal Register a proposal for changes in its recordkeeping rules – suggesting more detailed requirements for larger webcasters who are required to report the songs that they play on a “ census” basis – that would be most webcasters who are required to report the songs that they play, how often they were played, and how many people listened when they were played each time.
Media Law
MARCH 23, 2015
The Law Practice Division of the American Bar Association is currently accepting applications from those interested in serving on the division’s various boards and committees. The members of these boards help produce ABA Techshow, Law Practice magazine, the Law Practice Today webzine, books, education programs, and other initiatives. The post Want to Serve on the ABA Law Practice Magazine Editorial Board?
Music Technology Policy
AUGUST 10, 2014
Google has entered into a proposed settlement agreement with a group of Google shareholders that sued Google’s top executives and board members for breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, corporate waste and unjust enrichment.
Broadcast Law Blog
DECEMBER 22, 2014
A decision by the US Court of Appeals on the appeal of the Copyright Royalty Board decision as to the Sirius XM and Music Choice royalties for the public performance of sound recordings is one of the many year-end decisions important to broadcasters and digital media companies that seems to be flooding out from Courts and agencies in DC and elsewhere.
Broadcast Law Blog
DECEMBER 14, 2015
It seems like every streaming company, and every financial analyst and reporter covering the media beat has been breathlessly awaiting the release of the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision on Internet Radio Royalties that will apply to noninteractive streaming companies during the years 2016-2020. Intellectual Property Internet Radio Music Rights copyright royalty board Internet radio royalties webcasting royalties
Broadcast Law Blog
JULY 8, 2009
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today issued a decision basically upholding the royalty rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board due under Section 114 of the Copyright Act by satellite radio operators for the public performance of sound recordings. The Court decision rejected SoundExchange's challenges to the decision of the Board to apply the 801(b) factor which instructed it to take into account the impact of the royalty on the stability of the industry.
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