[Federal Register: July 6, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 130)]

[Notices]               

[Page 41737-41738]

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS



Copyright Office



[Docket No. 99-3 CARP DD 95-98]



 

Distribution of 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 Digital Audio 

Recording Technology Royalties



AGENCY: Copyright Office, Library of Congress.



ACTION: Announcement of the schedule for the proceeding.



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SUMMARY: The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress is announcing 

the schedule for the 180-day arbitration period for the Copyright 

Arbitration Royalty Panel (``CARP'') proceeding to determine the 

distribution of the 1995-98 digital audio recording technology 

(``DART'') royalties in the Musical Works Funds.



DATES: Filings must be submitted according to the announced schedule, 

except as otherwise provided by Order of the Copyright Arbitration 

Royalty Panel.



ADDRESSES: If hand delivered, parties shall deliver an original and 

five copies of all written filings concerning this proceeding to: 

Office of the Copyright General Counsel, James Madison Memorial 

Building, First and Independence Avenue, SE., Room LM-403, Washington, 

DC 20540. If sent by mail, filings should be addressed to: Copyright 

Arbitration Royalty Panel (CARP), P.O. Box 70977, Southwest Station, 

Washington, DC 20024.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David O. Carson, General Counsel, or 

Tanya M. Sandros, Senior Attorney, Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel 

(``CARP''), PO Box 70977, Southwest Station, Washington, DC 20024. 

Telephone: (202) 707-8380. Telefax: (202) 252-3423.



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:



A. Background



    On May 4, 1999, the Copyright Office published a notice in the 

Federal Register requesting comment as to the existence of a 

controversy concerning the distribution of the 1995, 1996, 1997, and 

1998 DART royalty fees in the Musical Works Funds and consolidating the 

consideration of the distribution of the 1995-98 Musical Works Funds 

into a single proceeding. 64 FR 23875 (May 4, 1999). The following 

parties filed comments and Notices of Intent to Participate: Carl 

DeMonbrun/Polyphonic Music, Inc. (``DeMonbrun''); Broadcast Music, Inc. 

(``BMI''), the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers 

(``ASCAP''), SESAC, Inc. (``SESAC''), the Harry Fox Agency (``HFA''), 

the Songwriters Guild of America (``SGA''), and Copyright Management, 

Inc. (``CMI'') (collectively the ``Settling Parties''); James Cannings/

Can Can Music (``Cannings''); Alicia Carolyn Evelyn (``Evelyn''); and 

Eugene ``Lambchops'' Curry/ TaJai Music, Inc. (``Curry'').

    On September 21, 1999, the Office issued an Order announcing the 

precontroversy discovery schedule for the proceeding, beginning on 

November 15, 1999. See Order in Docket No. 99-3 CARP DD 95-98 

(September 21, 1999). Prior to commencement of the 45-day 

precontroversy discovery period, the Office was notified that Cannings 

and DeMonbrun had settled their respective controversies with the 

Settling Parties. Thus, the parties who will appear before the CARP in 

the current proceeding are the Settling Parties, Evelyn, and Curry.

    The September 21, 1999, Order also set the initiation of the 

arbitration for February 28, 2000. However, the Office's duty to 

publish every two years a new list of arbitrators eligible to serve on 

a CARP rendered the February 28 initiation date unworkable. See 37 CFR 

251.3. On January 14, 2000, in accordance with Sec. 251.3(b), the 

Office published the list of arbitrators eligible to serve on a CARP 

initiated during 2000 and 2001. 65 FR 2439 (January 14, 2000). Because 

the time period between the publication of the arbitrator list and the 

February 28 initiation date was not sufficient to complete the 

selection of arbitrators for this proceeding, the Office reset the 

initiation of the arbitration to April 10, 2000. See Order in Docket 

No. 99-3 CARP DD 95-98 (March 14, 2000).

    On April 10, 2000, the Office published a notice initiating the 

180-day arbitration period for this proceeding. 65 FR 19025 (April 10, 

2000). Once the arbitrators for this proceeding were selected, the 

Office scheduled the initial meeting between the arbitrators and the 

parties for May 16, 2000. However, the chairperson of the panel 

resigned out of concern that potential conflicts of interest, which 

were not known to the arbitrator at the time of selection, may exist 

under Sec. 251.32. Because of these concerns, the Copyright Office 

canceled the May 16, 2000, meeting between the parties and the original 

panel of arbitrators. Pursuant to Sec. 251.6(f), the remaining two 

arbitrators selected a new chairperson. On June 14, 2000, in accordance 

with Sec. 251.6(f), the Office announced the suspension of the 180-day 

arbitration period from May 16, 2000, to June 16, 2000, the resumption 

of the 180-day period on June 16, 2000, the new chairperson of the 

panel, and the time and place of the rescheduled initial meeting, which 

took place on June 19, 2000. See 65 FR 37412 (June 14, 2000).



B. The Schedule



    Section 251.11(b) of 37 CFR provides: ``At the beginning of each 

proceeding, the CARP shall develop the original schedule of the 

proceeding which shall be published in the Federal Register at



[[Page 41738]]



least seven calendar days in advance of the first meeting. Such 

announcement shall state the times, dates, and place of the meetings, 

the testimony to be heard, whether any of the meetings, or any portion 

of a meeting, is to be closed, and if so, which ones, and the name and 

telephone number of the person to contact for further information.''

    All meetings of the CARP are open to the public, unless otherwise 

specified. To ensure that the public receives adequate notice of such 

meetings, the rule requires that the Office publish a schedule of the 

meetings at least seven days before the first meeting. See 59 FR 2550 

(January 18, 1994). As set forth below, there are no further meetings 

for this proceeding scheduled at this time; thus, the seven-day advance 

publication requirement is unnecessary in this instance. Accordingly, 

this notice fulfills the requirements of Sec. 251.11(b) for the 

proceeding to determine the distribution of the 1995-98 DART royalties 

in the Musical Works Funds.

    On June 19, 2000, the parties to this proceeding met with the 

arbitrators for the purpose of setting a schedule and discussing the 

procedural aspects of this proceeding. The key procedural issue before 

the Panel at the outset of the proceeding was the consideration of the 

issue designated to the CARP of whether to suspend formal hearings and 

make the determination as to the distribution of the 1995-98 DART 

royalties in the Musical Works Funds on the written pleadings. See 

Order in Docket No. 99-3 CARP DD 95-98 (December 22, 1999). After 

hearing argument from all parties, the Panel announced its decision to 

waive the requirement of oral evidentiary hearings and to proceed upon 

the written record alone. The Panel stated in its Order that the 

following schedule would govern the remainder of the proceeding:

    Deadline for submission of any revision desired at this time of a 

party's claim, pursuant to Sec. 251.43(d): July 7, 2000.

    Deadline for submission of any rebuttal case desired by a party: 

July 28, 2000.

    Deadline for submission of findings of fact and conclusions of law 

and proposed orders, including specific calculations of royalty 

payments: August 18, 2000.

    Deadline for submission of reply findings of fact and conclusions 

of law and proposed orders: August 28, 2000.

    Order in Docket No. 99-3 CARP DD 95-98 (June 19, 2000).

    At this time, the parties have not moved to close any portion of 

the proceeding to the public. Further refinements to the schedule will 

be issued as orders to the parties participating in the proceeding. All 

changes will be noted in the docket file of the proceeding, as required 

by the Copyright Office regulations governing the administration of 

CARP proceedings. 37 CFR 251.11(c).



    Dated: June 30, 2000.

David O. Carson,

General Counsel.

[FR Doc. 00-17108 Filed 7-5-00; 8:45 am]

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