Written by Chris CastleFebruary 27, 2018

Thank You @RepGoodlatte for Getting the “Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA)” Passed in the House

As the Google Transparency Project reports, Digital Media Association heaveyweight Google and its incumbent cronies like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Engine Advocacy, the Center for Democracy and Technology, NetChoice and the Consumer Technology Association are out for blood to keep the legacy Communications Decency Act from being dragged into the 21st Century. Miraculously, Google’s lobbying […]

Written by Editor CharlieFebruary 27, 2018

The Music Modernization Act Could Make One Small Change in Favor of Songwriters: Put the Copyright Office on a Schedule — Music Tech Solutions

There is one solution to the NOI loophole problem that is entirely within the power of the Congress to solve immediately–instruct the Librarian of Congress to require the Copyright Office to get the lead out on processing copyright registrations and create a rebuttable presumption that the Copyright Office has contact information for copyright owners. via The […]

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 25, 2018February 25, 2018

How Shareholder Lawsuits Against Spotify May Have Just Gotten Easier

Spotify is rigging the shareholder voting rights in its soon to be public stock and also rigging songwriters rights to statutory damages in the Music Modernization Act. But they can’t stop shareholder derivative suits which may have them running for statutory damages at the end of the day.

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 22, 2018

@musicanswersnow Says We Can Do Better on Music Modernization Act

If you’ve been following the insiders spinning the controversial Music Modernization Act, you will probably have heard them say things like this about the closed door negotiations leading up to the introduction of the bill: “Don’t blame us! Not everyone can be at the table! But…NSAI, SONA, ASCAP and BMI were at the table representing […]

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 22, 2018

@musicanswersnow: The Music Modernization Act: We Can & Must Do Better

By Phil Galdston & David Wolfert “ANY LAW OF THIS KIND MUST FIRST AND FOREMOST PROTECT THE WORK’S CREATOR AND OWNER, NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR.” The Music Modernization Act (MMA) is a huge piece of copyright legislation that would shape the way music creators are paid for the foreseeable future. As songwriters, composers and independent publishers, […]

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 21, 2018

Get on the Bus! Could the Music Modernization Act be the Trojan Horse for Orphan Works?

When you read through the Music Modernization Act’s prohibition on statutory damages, “reasonably diligent search” and global rights database clauses, you can’t help but think of the orphan works efforts from years past by some of the same cast of characters that is around the MMA in the Congress. Orphan works–if you recall–was a […]

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 19, 2018

Who Owns What Under the Music Modernization Act and What Effect on Valuations?

There are two imponderables under the Music Modernization Act that I think could have a significant effect on valuations and investment: the designation of the mechanical licensing collective by the Register of Copyrights and the contemplated global rights database. First the initial and any re-designation of the collective by the Register. It must be said […]

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 17, 2018

Black Box Invasion! Duties of Collective’s Board Under Music Modernization Act

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 course, it […]

Written by Chris CastleFebruary 15, 2018February 15, 2018

Call to Action: Please Help Support Our Musical Legacy and Tell the Congress #irespectmusic on the CLASSICS Act

Please sign the petition to support the CLASSICS Act and close the pre-72 loophole for artist rights. http://musicfirstcoalition.org/action-center/support-the-classics-act/

Written by Editor CharlieFebruary 15, 2018

The Bipartisan Classics Act Is Ready For Prime Time: Time to fix Pre 1972 Loophole — The Trichordist

Issa (R-CA) and Nadler (D-NY) sponsored the Classics Act in the house. Artists that had the misfortune to record before 1972 do not get royalties for the public performance of their recordings on satellite and non-interactive streaming services. This so-called loophole is simply a creation of federal courts (Ninth & Second) and apparent collusion by […] […]

Music Technology Policy

News from the Goolag Since 2006 ~ A survival guide to the creative apocalypse: We follow issues and opinion important to professional creators. Data is the new exposure.

Month: February 2018