NAB, Others File Suit Over Streaming Fees

NAB and six broadcast groups late Thursday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Copyright Office regarding their opinion on radio stations being subject to performance royalty fees if they stream music on the net.
If subjected to liability under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, say broadcasters, stations that want to stream their on-air programming would either be forced into individual negotiations with copyright holders of every song they stream, or, “only if they qualify,” secure a license that covers streaming.
The conditions to qualify for such licenses are “onerous, and plainly were not drafted with the formats of over-the-air broadcasters in mind,” states the complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
Broadcasters want the December decision by the U.S. Copyright Office reviewed and vacated. Stations have already paid copyright fees, and shouldn’t be required to pay twice, they believe.
Broadcast groups joining NAB in the complaint are: Bonneville, Cox, Emmis, Entercom, Infinity and Susquehanna.
NAB has also dropped its lawsuit against the Recording Industry Assn. of
America.