Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 26 / Monday, February 10, 2025 / Notices 9257 

hundred grossing tours and festivals . . . .’’); see 

also Jeffery Brabec & Todd Brabec, Music, Money, 

and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money 

in the Music Business 339 (7th ed. 2011) (noting 

that the census survey was formerly of the ‘‘top 

200’’ tours and ‘‘eleven major venues’’). 

47Brabec at 394 (referencing ASCAP’s OnStage 

program); see also BMI, Get Paid for Live 

Performances with BMI Live, https://www.bmi.com/ 

special/bmi_live (last visited Jan. 22, 2025). 

48See, e.g., ASCAP, ASCAP’s Survey and 

Distribution System: Rules & Policies (Oct. 2022), 

https://www.ascap.com/∼/media/files/pdf/ 

members/governing-documents/ascap-survey-- 

distribution-rules--10322.pdf; BMI, Royalty 

Information, https://www.bmi.com/ 

creators#royaltyinformation (providing higher-level 

royalty calculation information) (last visited Jan. 22, 

2025). 

49Letter from Reps. Jordan, Issa, and Fitzgerald to 

Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights, U.S. 

Copyright Office at 1–2 (Sept. 11, 2024) 

(‘‘Congressional Request’’), https://

www.copyright.gov/policy/pro-issues/letter-to-uscopro-issues.pdf. 

50ASCAP, Why ASCAP Licenses Bars, 

Restaurants & Music Venues, https://

www.ascap.com/help/ascap-licensing/why-ascaplicenses-bars-restaurants-music-venues (last visited 

Jan. 22, 2025). 

51Congressional Request at 1–2. 

52 Id. at 2. 

53 Id. 

smaller venues, some PROs allow 

performers to self-report performance 

data, which is used by the PROs to 

calculate royalty distributions.47

PROs have created royalty calculation 

and distribution policies to account for 

all the elements they consider when 

paying their members.48 While some 

may publish aspects of these policies, 

information regarding any individual 

PRO’s financial operations, including 

license and royalty distribution terms, 

may not be publicly available for 

competitive reasons. 

II. Congressional Request and Subjects 

of Inquiry 

In September 2024, the Copyright 

Office received a letter from three 

members of the House Judiciary 

Committee relaying concerns over (1) 

the increase of PROs and (2) difficulties 

regarding how to ‘‘assess how efficiently 

PROs are distributing general licensing 

revenue, based on publicly available 

data.’’ 49 The term ‘‘‘[g]eneral licensee’ is 

an umbrella term referring to the 

hundreds of thousands of bars, 

restaurants, hotels, ice and roller skating 

rinks, theme parks and other ‘brick and 

mortar’ businesses . . . that are not TV, 

radio or audio and audio-visual 

streaming platforms.’’ 50 The letter asked 

the Office to gather information 

regarding these issues. With this notice, 

the Office is soliciting input to aid 

Congress’s consideration of these issues 

and invites written comments on the 

subjects of inquiry below. 

A. The Increase in PROs 

The Congressional Request states that 

bars, restaurants, stores, hotels, and 

music venues engaged in the public 

performance of musical works ‘‘have 

reported receiving demands for royalties 

from new entities claiming to represent 

songwriters, and threatening litigation if 

the demands are not met.’’ 51 It adds 

that, ‘‘[c]onsidering that the possibility 

of substantial statutory copyright 

damages poses an existential risk for 

most bars, restaurants, and other small 

businesses, many feel compelled to pay 

these entities on top of what they 

already pay for blanket licenses from the 

traditional PROs.’’ 52

The Office is requesting public 

comment on the following topics: 

1. To what extent, if any, have there 

been increased financial and 

administrative costs imposed on 

licensees associated with paying 

royalties to additional PROs; 

2. Factors that may be contributing to 

the formation of new PROs; and 

3. Recommendations on how to 

improve clarity and certainty for entities 

seeking to obtain licenses from PROs to 

publicly perform musical works. 

B. General Licensing Revenue 

Distribution Methods 

With respect to concerns regarding 

revenue distribution, the Congressional 

Request states that ‘‘it is difficult to 

assess how efficiently PROs are 

distributing general licensing revenue 

based on publicly available data,’’ 

including ‘‘how accurately lesser known 

and independent artists as well as 

smaller publishers are being 

compensated compared to widely 

popular artists and major publishers.’’ 53

The Office is requesting public 

comment on the following topics: 

4. How PROs currently gather 

information concerning musical works 

publicly performed at live music 

venues, on music services (e.g., digital 

music providers), and by other general 

licensees (including bars, restaurants, 

stores, hotels, and similar venues); 

5. Whether the manner in which the 

PROs gather information regarding 

public performances adversely impacts 

lesser-known artists and smaller 

publishers; 

6. What information PROs currently 

provide to the public, including with 

respect to: 

(a) repertoire information and 

metadata (e.g., song titles, songwriter 

and publisher information, ownership 

shares, and unique identifiers); and 

(b) royalty distribution practices and 

policies; 

7. Whether any gaps or discrepancies 

occur in royalty distributions, including 

circumstances where it is likely for 

performance data to be unavailable or 

incomplete and where PROs must rely 

on proxy or survey data for royalty 

distributions; 

8. What technological and business 

practices exist or could be developed to 

improve the current systems for usage 

tracking and royalty distribution; 

9. The extent to which current PRO 

royalty distribution practices are the 

result of existing legal and regulatory 

constraints; and 

10. Additional recommendations for 

Congress to address these issues. 

Dated: February 5, 2025. 

Suzanne V. Wilson, 

General Counsel and Associate Register of 

Copyrights. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02418 Filed 2–7–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 1410–30–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

The National Science Board (NSB) 

hereby gives notice of the scheduling of 

meetings for the transaction of National 

Science Board business pursuant to the 

National Science Foundation Act and 

the Government in the Sunshine Act. 

TIME AND DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 

2025, from 11:00 a.m.–1:15 p.m. 

Eastern. 

PLACE: The meetings will be held at NSF 

headquarters, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 

Alexandria, VA 22314, and by 

videoconference. 

STATUS: The meetings will be closed to 

the public. See the full description 

below. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 

Plenary Board Meeting 

Closed Session: 11:00 a.m.–11:40 a.m. 

• Chair’s Opening Remarks 

• Committee/Commission Reports 

Æ Committee on Awards and 

Facilities 

Æ National Radio Astronomy 

Observatory Discussion and Vote 

Æ Context Item: Mid-scale Research 

Infrastructure Track 1 Portfolio 

Æ Context Item: National Geophysical 

Facility Operations and 

Maintenance award 

Æ NSB–NSF Commission on Merit 

Review 

Æ Overview of Revised Commission 

Report and Discussion 

• Vote to Enter Executive Closed 

Session 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
9258 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 26 / Monday, February 10, 2025 / Notices 

1See Docket No. RM2018–3, Order Adopting 

Final Rules Relating to Non-Public Information, 

June 27, 2018, Attachment A at 19–22 (Order No. 

4679). 

Plenary Board Meeting 

Executive Closed Session: 11:45 a.m.– 

1:15 p.m. 

• Chair’s Remarks 

• 2025 Honorary Awards Discussion, 

Vote 

• Preparing for possible NSB leadership 

transition, including Status of 

Board Initiatives 

Plenary Meeting Adjourns: 1:15 p.m. 

Members of the public are advised 

that the NSB provides some flexibility 

around start and end times. A session 

may be allowed to run over by as much 

as 15 minutes if the Chair decides the 

extra time is warranted. The next 

session will start no later than 15 

minutes after the noticed start time. If a 

session ends early, the next meeting 

may start up to 15 minutes earlier than 

the noticed start time. Sessions will not 

vary from the times noticed by more 

than 15 minutes. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

The NSB Office contact is Christopher 

Blair, cblair@nsf.gov, 703–292–7000. 

The NSB Public Affairs contact is 

Nadine Lymn, nlymn@nsf.gov, 703– 

292–2490. Please refer to the NSB 

website for additional information: 

https://www.nsf.gov/nsb. 

Ann E. Bushmiller, 

Senior Legal Counsel to the National Science 

Board. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02445 Filed 2–6–25; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

[Docket Nos. CP2024–105; MC2025–1168 

and K2025–1168; MC2025–1170 and K2025– 

1170] 

New Postal Products 

AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a 

recent Postal Service filing for the 

Commission’s consideration concerning 

a negotiated service agreement. This 

notice informs the public of the filing, 

invites public comment, and takes other 

administrative steps. 

DATES: Comments are due: February 12, 

2025. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments 

electronically via the Commission’s 

Filing Online system at https://

www.prc.gov. Those who cannot submit 

comments electronically should contact 

the person identified in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section by 

telephone for advice on filing 

alternatives. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David A. Trissell, General Counsel, at 

202–789–6820. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

I. Introduction 

II. Public Proceeding(s) 

III. Summary Proceeding(s) 

I. Introduction 

Pursuant to 39 CFR 3041.405, the 

Commission gives notice that the Postal 

Service filed request(s) for the 

Commission to consider matters related 

to Competitive negotiated service 

agreement(s). The request(s) may 

propose the addition of a negotiated 

service agreement from the Competitive 

product list or the modification of an 

existing product currently appearing on 

the Competitive product list. 

The public portions of the Postal 

Service’s request(s) can be accessed via 

the Commission’s website (http://

www.prc.gov). Non-public portions of 

the Postal Service’s request(s), if any, 

can be accessed through compliance 

with the requirements of 39 CFR 

3011.301.1

Section II identifies the docket 

number(s) associated with each Postal 

Service request, if any, that will be 

reviewed in a public proceeding as 

defined by 39 CFR 3010.101(p), the title 

of each such request, the request’s 

acceptance date, and the authority cited 

by the Postal Service for each request. 

For each such request, the Commission 

appoints an officer of the Commission to 

represent the interests of the general 

public in the proceeding, pursuant to 39 

U.S.C. 505 and 39 CFR 3000.114 (Public 

Representative). Section II also 

establishes comment deadline(s) 

pertaining to each such request. 

The Commission invites comments on 

whether the Postal Service’s request(s) 

identified in Section II, if any, are 

consistent with the policies of title 39. 

Applicable statutory and regulatory 

requirements include 39 U.S.C. 3632, 39 

U.S.C. 3633, 39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR 

part 3035, and 39 CFR part 3041. 

Comment deadline(s) for each such 

request, if any, appear in Section II. 

Section III identifies the docket 

number(s) associated with each Postal 

Service request, if any, to add a 

standardized distinct product to the 

Competitive product list or to amend a 

standardized distinct product, the title 

of each such request, the request’s 

acceptance date, and the authority cited 

by the Postal Service for each request. 

Standardized distinct products are 

negotiated service agreements that are 

variations of one or more Competitive 

products, and for which financial 

models, minimum rates, and 

classification criteria have undergone 

advance Commission review. See 39 

CFR 3041.110(n); 39 CFR 3041.205(a). 

Such requests are reviewed in summary 

proceedings pursuant to 39 CFR 

3041.325(c)(2) and 39 CFR 

3041.505(f)(1). Pursuant to 39 CFR 

3041.405(c)–(d), the Commission does 

not appoint a Public Representative or 

request public comment in proceedings 

to review such requests. 

II. Public Proceeding(s) 

1. Docket No(s).: CP2024–105; Filing 

Title: USPS Request Concerning 

Amendment One to Priority Mail & 

USPS Ground Advantage Contract 134, 

with Material Filed Under Seal; Filing 

Acceptance Date: February 4, 2025; 

Filing Authority: 39 CFR 3035.105 and 

39 CFR 3041.505; Public Representative: 

Christopher Mohr; Comments Due: 

February 12, 2025. 

2. Docket No(s).: MC2025–1168 and 

K2025–1168; Filing Title: USPS Request 

to Add Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service Contract 56 to Competitive 

Product List and Notice of Filing 

Materials Under Seal; Filing Acceptance 

Date: February 4, 2025; Filing Authority: 

39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR 3035.105, and 

39 CFR 3041.310; Public Representative: 

Katalin Clendenin; Comments Due: 

February 12, 2025. 

3. Docket No(s).: MC2025–1170 and 

K2025–1170; Filing Title: USPS Request 

to Add Priority Mail & USPS Ground 

Advantage Contract 612 to the 

Competitive Product List and Notice of 

Filing Materials Under Seal; Filing 

Acceptance Date: February 4, 2025; 

Filing Authority: 39 U.S.C. 3642, 39 CFR 

3035.105, and 39 CFR 3041.310; Public 

Representative: Elsie Lee-Robbins; 

Comments Due: February 12, 2025. 

III. Summary Proceeding(s) 

None. See Section II for public 

proceedings. 

This Notice will be published in the 

Federal Register. 

Erica A. Barker, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02424 Filed 2–7–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 


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