2024-27722: Cost of Living Adjustment to Public Broadcasters Compulsory License Royalty Rate

Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 230 (Friday, November 29, 2024) [Federal Register Volume 89, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2024)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 94613-94614] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2024-27722] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Copyright Royalty Board 37 CFR Part 381 [Docket No. 24-CRB-0009-PBR (2023-2027) COLA (2025)] Cost of Living Adjustment to Public Broadcasters Compulsory License Royalty Rate

Agency

Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress.

Action

Final rule; cost of living adjustment. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

The Copyright Royalty Judges announce a cost of living adjustment (COLA) to the royalty rate that noncommercial radio stations at certain colleges, universities, and other educational institutions that are not affiliated with National Public Radio must pay for the use in 2025 of published nondramatic musical compositions in the SESAC Performing Rights, LLC (SESAC) and Global Music Rights, LLC (GMR) repertories pursuant to the statutory license under the Copyright Act for noncommercial broadcasting.

Dates

Effective date: November 29, 2024. Applicability dates: These rates are applicable to the period January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.

For Further Information Contact

Anita Brown, CRB Program Assistant, (202) 707-7658, [email protected].

Supplementary Information

Section 118 of the Copyright Act, title 17 of the United States Code, creates a statutory license for the use of published nondramatic musical works and published pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works in connection with noncommercial broadcasting. On June 28, 2023, the Copyright Royalty Judges (Judges) adopted final regulations governing the rates and terms of copyright royalty payments under section 118 of the Copyright Act for the license period 2023-2027. See 88 FR 41827. Pursuant to these regulations, on or before December 1 of each year, the Judges shall publish in the Federal Register notice of the change in the cost of living and a revised schedule of the rates codified at Sec. 381.5(c)(3) and (4) relating to compositions in the repertory of SESAC and GMR. The adjustment, fixed to the nearest dollar, shall be the greater of (1) the change in the cost of living as determined by the Consumer Price Index (all consumers, all items) (``CPI-U'') ``during the period from the most recent index published prior to the previous notice to the most recent index published prior to December 1 of that year'' or (2) 1.5%. 37 CFR 381.10. The change in the cost of living as determined by the CPI-U during the period from the most recent index published prior to the previous notice, i.e., before December 1, 2023, to the most recent index published before December 1, 2024, is 2.6%.\1\ In accordance with 37 CFR 381.10(b), the Judges announce that the COLA for calendar year 2025 shall be 2.6%. Application of the 2.6% COLA to the 2024 rates for the performance of published nondramatic musical compositions in the repertory of SESAC and GMR--$194 per station--results in an adjusted rate of $199 per station, rounded to the nearest dollar. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ On November 13, 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the CPI-U increased 2.6% over the last 12 months. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- List of Subjects in 37 CFR Part 381 Copyright, Music, Radio, Rates, Television. Final Regulations In consideration of the foregoing, the Copyright Royalty Judges amend part 381 of title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows: PART 381--USE OF CERTAIN COPYRIGHTED WORKS IN CONNECTION WITH NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING 0