Copyright & Media Update 7/21/17

July 21, 2017

Hey Alexa, Where’s My Money? Address Unknown Update Courtesy of Paperchain

BY CHRIS CASTLE We get an update this week on the total “address unknown” mass NOIs filed with the Copyright Office for the royalty-free windfall loophole.  This time we have to thank our friends at Paperchain in Sydney for doing the work of decompressing the massive numbers of unsearchable compressed files posted on the Copyright Office website.  As you can see, there’s been an increase of approximately 70% since January 2017.   (For background, see my article.) READ MORE…

Spotify illegally streaming songs by Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson and more, lawsuits say

BY NATE RAU: Two independent music publishers filed separate lawsuits Tuesday in Nashville against streaming giant Spotify for failing to obtain the appropriate licenses to thousands of songs. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Bluewater Music Services, a Nashville-based publisher, and music catalog administrator, and Bob Gaudio, a publisher and primary songwriter for the band Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. READ MORE…

Getting away with infringement doesn’t mean it’s cool.

BY DAVID NEWHOFF: Last week, while I was writing my last post about photographer David Slater, a story on PetaPixel was making the rounds.  Written by photographer Max Dubler, the title is a refrain of an all-too-familiar theme.  No You Can’t Use My Photos on Your Brand’s Instagram for Free, says Dubler. READ MORE…

Understanding the CLASSICS Act

BY JONATHAN BAILEY: In August 2013 I wrote an article discussing the bizarre copyright status of pre-1972 sound recordings. Currently, such recordings are not covered under federal copyright law. Instead, they’re protected under a mishmash of state law and common law that provides many similar protections. READ MORE…

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.” CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration, and advocacy for copyright owners. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.

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