Rights

ASCAP sues four radio groups for ‘prolonged unauthorized use of its members’ music

ASCAP has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against four US radio groups that it says have broadcast its members’ music without a valid license. The performing rights organization said on Tuesday (June 9) that the four groups operate a total of 15 radio stations. The defendants are Haugo Broadcasting Inc. in South Dakota, Spoon River Media, LLC in Indiana, Taylor Communications in Mississippi, and Barry Lunderville Radio in New Hampshire.

Source: ASCAP sues four radio groups for ‘prolonged unauthorized use of its members’ music

220+ rights orgs worldwide urge France’s National Assembly to adopt AI training bill

A coalition of 227 rights organizations worldwide has called on France‘s National Assembly to pass a bill that would establish a legal presumption that AI companies have used copyrighted works to train their systems. The Darcos bill would insert a presumption into the French Intellectual Property Code that AI providers have used copyrighted works, unless they can prove otherwise.

Source: 220+ rights orgs worldwide urge France’s National Assembly to adopt AI training bill

Universal sells Curve Royalty Systems to Merlin and Matt Spetzler’s Jamen Capital

Universal Music Group and its subsidiary Virgin Music Group have agreed to sell Curve Royalty Systems to Jamen Capital and Merlin. The sale is the divestment that the European Commission required as a condition of clearing Universal Music Group‘s $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings in February. It paves the way for Curve, the royalty processing platform used by thousands of record labels, distributors and publishers, to operate as an independent business again.

Source: Universal sells Curve Royalty Systems to Merlin and Matt Spetzler’s Jamen Capital

Sony Invests in AI Copyright-Protection Firm Midnight Labs

Midnight Labs, an AI company focused on intellectual property protection in the entertainment industry, has secured an investment from Sony’s Innovation Fund to help bolster its efforts to combat piracy and deepfakes plaguing entertainment companies and content creators in the U.S. and Japan. The company — which is based in Dublin, Tokyo and San Francisco — says its automated enforcement tools have removed more than 2.8 billion pieces of infringement content, including those that’ve been generated by AI.

Source: Sony Invests in AI Copyright-Protection Firm Midnight Labs

Producer royalty company mprs is now buying producer catalogs

mprs, the rights management company focused on producer and mixer royalties, is expanding into producer catalog acquisitions. Milk & Honey has signed up to partner in the new acquisition vehicle, while advising on M&A opportunities in the market. Founded in 2021, mprs – pronounced ‘Empress‘ – was spun out of artist management and services company mtheory when Universal Music Group acquired mtheory’s label division.

Source: Producer royalty company mprs is now buying producer catalogs

A bill moving through Congress could change who controls the US Copyright Office

At present, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by the Librarian of Congress and answers to that office. H.R. 6028 would break that link. The bill would remove the US Copyright Office from the Library of Congress‘s supervisory authority. The Register would instead be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, serving a term of 10 years with the option of reappointment.

Source: A bill moving through Congress could change who controls the US Copyright Office

Copyright Office Reups The MLC’s designation as the statutory Mechanical Licensing Collective

The US Register of Copyrights has continued the designation of The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) as the statutory collective responsible for administering the blanket compulsory mechanical license for eligible streaming and download services in the United States. The decision follows the Register‘s first periodic review of The MLC‘s designation, as required by the Music Modernization Act (MMA).

Source: Copyright Office reups The MLC’s designation as the statutory Mechanical Licensing Collective

AI licensing coalition SPUR in huge expansion

AI news licensing standards coalition SPUR has added almost 20 publisher members in a major international expansion of its work. SPUR said on Wednesday it has already made “significant progress” on its work towards the technical infrastructure that will allow publishers to see how AI systems are using their content and therefore better negotiate. This will be launched soon, the group said.

Source: AI licensing coalition SPUR in huge expansion

Garth Brooks Considers Sale of Music Catalog, Seeking Roughly $2 Billion

Country music star Garth Brooks is considering a sale of his catalog, eyeing roughly $2 billion for the rights to his songs and recordings, according to people familiar with the matter. Brooks, an album sales and touring juggernaut, is seeking a price that would be among the largest deals for an individual artist or group’s catalog. He would sell both his publishing, or songwriting, and recorded music rights.

Source: Garth Brooks Considers Sale of Music Catalog, Seeking Roughly $2 Billion

Google’s Top DMCA Sender Plateaus at 70 Million Takedowns Per Week

Google has processed billions of DMCA takedown requests during the first months of the year. Reporting agency Link-Busters remains the top sender. While its dominance remains, the company appears to have hit a takedown ceiling of roughly 70 million URLs per week. Google won’t confirm whether there’s a limit on the notices it processes and says that trusted parties “can submit the quantity they need.”

Source: Google’s Top DMCA Sender Plateaus at 70 Million Takedowns Per Week

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