SoundExchange and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting reached an agreement on Internet performance royalties for non-commercial radio stations to be paid to sound recording artists and copyright owners.
The agreement establishes the amount of royalties that CPB will pay on behalf of the public radio system for streaming sound recordings on public radio Web sites during the period Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2010. The deal, reached under the authority of the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008, will cover about 450 public radio webcasters including CPB supported stations, NPR, NPR members, National Federation of Community Broadcasters members, American Public Media, the Public Radio Exchange and Public Radio International.
SoundExchange will receive a single upfront royalty payment of $1.85 million together with consolidated use and playlist reporting from CPB on behalf of public radio.
As a condition of the settlement, NPR agreed to withdraw its appeal of the May 2007 CRB royalty rate decision.
SoundExchange remains in talks with commercial radio webcasters and Executive Director John Simson said he hopes they can reach a deal before the Feb. 15 congressionally-mandated deadline.
