********************************************************** U.S. Copyright Office NewsNet August 17, 1998 Issue 18 ********************************************************** For additional information, visit the Copyright Office homepage at http://www.loc.gov/copyright. ********************************************************** CONTENTS * News* 1. Federal Register a. Office Compiles Specialty Station List (63 FR 41599) b. Office Publishes Ninth List of Notices of Intent to Enforce Copyrights Restored Under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (63 FR 43829) c. Office Announces Proposed New Fee Schedule and Hearing on Fee Increase (63 FR 43426) 2. Copyright Office News a. General Counsel David Carson Argues Case Before 9th Circuit Court b. Office Prepares Factsheet on Unserved Households and Satellite Delivery of Network Broadcast Stations * Calendar* * To Subscribe/Unsubscribe to NewsNet* ********************************************************** * NEWS* ----------------Federal Register---------------- For the complete text of Federal Register announcements, visit the Copyright Office homepage at http://www.loc.gov/copyright or the Government Printing office homepage at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html. CABLE COMPULSORY LICENSE: SPECIALTY STATION LIST (63 FR 41599) The Copyright Office is compiling a new specialty station list to identify commercial television broadcast stations that, according to their owners, qualify as specialty stations for purposes of the former distant signal carriage rules of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Lists were published in 1990 and 1995, at which time the Office stated that the specialty station list would be revised approximately every 3 years. Accordingly, the Copyright Office is again requesting all interested owners of television broadcast stations that qualify as specialty stations, including those that previously filed affidavits, to submit sworn affidavits to the Copyright Office by October 5, 1998, stating that the programming of their stations meets certain requirements under the FCC regulations in effect on June 24, 1998. OFFICE PUBLISHES NINTH LIST OF NOTICES OF INTENT TO ENFORCE COPYRIGHTS RESTORED UNDER THE URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENTS ACT (63 FR 43829) The Copyright Office is publishing its ninth list of restored copyrights for which it has received and processed Notices of Intent to Enforce a copyright restored under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Publication of the lists creates a record for the public to identify copyright owners and works whose copyright has been restored for which Notices of Intent to Enforce have been filed with the Copyright Office. OFFICE ANNOUNCES PROPOSED NEW FEE SCHEDULE AND HEARING ON FEE INCREASE(63 FR 43426) The Office will hold a public hearing in the course of a proceeding during which the Office proposes to increase the fees set forth in 17 U.S.C. 708(a). The proposed fees would recover a significant part of the cost to the Office of (1) registering claims, including supplementary and renewal claims, (2) recording documents, (3) issuing receipts for deposits, (4) issuing additional certificates, and (5) making and reporting searches. The hearing will be held October 1, 1998. -------------Copyright Office News-------------- GENERAL COUNSEL DAVID CARSON ARGUES CASE BEFORE 9TH CIRCUIT COURT On August 12, 1998, General Counsel David Carson argued the Copyright Office's position before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Batjac Productions, Inc. v. Good Times Home Video and Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights, which is on appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. A ruling is expected in several months. OFFICE PREPARES FACTSHEET ON UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS AND SATELLITE DELIVERY OF NETWORK BROADCAST STATIONS The Copyright Office prepared a factsheet on unserved households and satellite delivery of network broadcast stations in response to a recent federal district court decision in the case of CBS, Inc. v. PrimeTime 24 Joint Venture. The court determined that a certain satellite carrier violated the Satellite Home Viewer Act and must terminate its network service to subscribers who do not reside in "unserved households." The factsheet is available via fax or mail from the Licensing Division of the Copyright Office. Call 202-707-5932. The factsheet is also on the Copyright Office Website at http://www.loc.gov/copyright under "What's New." ********************************************************** * CALENDAR * August 14, 1998: Effective date of copyright restoration for copyrights listed in the ninth list of restored copyrights August 24, 1998: Effective date of rule amendment on how a cable system shall calculate its royalty fees September 10, 1998: Deadline for notifying the Copyright Office of a desire to present oral testimony in the October 1 hearing September 18, 1998: Deadline for filing initial written comments, both from those who wish to present oral testimony and from and those who plan only to file initial or reply comments, regarding the October 1 hearing on proposed fees October 1, 1998: Public hearing on increase of fees set forth in 17 U.S.C. 708(a) October 5, 1998: Deadline for filing of affidavits identifying specialty stations October 15, 1998: Deadline for filing reply comments regarding the October 1 hearing ********************************************************** * TO SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE TO NEWSNET * To subscribe Send a message to: [log in to unmask] In the body of the message, say: Subscribe USCopyright To unsubscribe Send a message to: [log in to unmask] In the body of the message, say: Unsubscribe USCopyright In an effort to improve future NewsNet issues and to meet the needs of subscribers, NewsNet editors request suggestions or ideas about content or other items be sent to [log in to unmask]