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Commercial Webcaster (CRB)


Commercial Webcasters (CRB): The default category for commercial webcasters, using rates determined by the Copyright Royalty Board. The Copyright Royalty Board’s determination for 2021-2020 webcasting rates can be found here.

2024

2024 Memo
Licensee Direct
Report of Use

2023

2023 Memo
Licensee Direct
Report of Use

2022

2022 Memo
Licensee Direct
Annual Minimum Fee Forms (SOAs), for 2022 and prior years
Report of Use

1) Eligibility Requirements: 
Commercial Webcasters (CRB) must not be noncommercial services.

2) Minimum Fees and Minimum Fee SOA.

  1. Amount: $1000, per station or channel, not to exceed $100,000 (if a service has more than 100 stations or channels). All payments must be accompanied by a signed and completed minimum fee Statement of Account.
  2. Recoupability of Minimum Fee: The minimum fee is credited against monthly liability accrued within the same calendar year. Services do not submit additional payment for that year until they have exceeded the minimum fee.
  3. Due date: Annual, on or before January 31. New services beginning streaming on or after February 1 are required to pay minimum fees within 45 days after the end of the month in which streaming first occurs.

3) Liability Rate, Payment and Monthly SOA.

  1. Rate:
    • 2020: $0.0018 per performance (nonsubscription transmissions), $0.0024 per performance (subscription transmissions)
    • 2021: $0.0021 per performance (nonsubscription transmissions), $0.0026 per performance (subscription transmissions)
    • 2022: $0.0022 per performance (nonsubscription transmissions),
      $0.0028 per performance (subscription transmissions)
    • 2023: $0.0024 per performance (nonsubscription transmissions), $0.0030 per performance (subscription transmissions)
    • 2024: $0.0025 per performance (nonsubscription transmissions), $0.0031 per performance (subscription transmissions)
  2. Payment and Monthly SOA: Services must submit a Statement of Account each month, calculating the liability owed for that month, within 45 days after the end of that month, accompanied by any payment indicated on the form (if any).
    • Services are encouraged to use Licensee Direct for ALL submissions.
    • If no payment is owed, Statements of Account may be submitted via e-mail as a PDF to [email protected], or via fax to 202.640.5883.
    • If payment is owed, the Statement of Account (accompanied by payment) should be mailed, if using regular mail to: SoundExchange, Inc., P.O. Box #715202, Philadelphia, PA 19171-5202. If you are using overnight delivery send to: Lockbox Services #0075202 SoundExchange, Inc. MAC Y1372-045 401 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
    • Payment must be in the form of a check, money order, or direct bank wire (or ACH payment). For assistance in delivering money via bank wire, please contact SoundExchange at 202.640.5858 or e-mail us at [email protected].

4) Reports of Use. Services are required to submit Reports of Use (i.e. the “playlists”) as described in 37 CFR 370.4.

  1. Frequency of Submission. Monthly, within 45 days after the end of each month. Nonsubscription services simulcasting transmissions from FCC-licensed AM or FM stations, if not exceeding the minimum fee in royalties owed (“minimum fee broadcasters”), submit quarterly, within 45 days after the end of each quarter.
  2. Content. Reports of Use from services who are not “minimum fee broadcasters” must contain a complete census of all sound recording accruing performance liability within the month. ROUs from “Minimum fee broadcasters” must contain a sample of all such sound recording from two seven-consecutive-day periods within the calendar quarter.
    1. Identifying Information. Each track listing must include the following:
      1. Name of Track as listed on the recording,
      2. Name of Artist as listed on the recording,
      3. ISRC as listed on the recording, or if unavailable, the combination of both the album name, and the marketing label as listed on the recording.
      4. Audience Measurement. Each track must have associated with it the amount of “actual total performances” accrued by the track within the month. “Minimum fee broadcasters” may report, in lieu of actual total performances (ATP), a combination of (1) aggregate tuning hours (ATH), (2) the program or channel name, and (3) the play frequency (i.e. “spins”) of the sound recording within the sample period.
  3. Services With Both Subscription and Nonsubscription Services. Services operating both subscription and non-subscription services must submit separate Reports of Use for each service, each month, remembering to use the appropriate Transmission Category Code for each ROU. For more information about Transmission Category Codes, please click here.
  4. Format and Delivery Specifications. Reports of Use are required to be electronically submitted in one of the following ways:
    1. If the ROU contains fewer than 200,000 lines, upload via SoundExchange Licensee Direct (preferred) or email to [email protected].
    2. If the ROU contains greater than 200,000 lines, use sFTP. To request a login ID and a password, please e-mail [email protected].
    3. If the service is unable to submit ROUs as describe in (1) or (2) above, please contact Licensee Relations.

5) Late Payments and Monthly Statements of Account
The late fee program is designed to catch all late payments, any statement of account or any report of use on a month to month basis. A Licensee is required to pay a late fee of 1.5% per month for any payment and/or statements of account received by the collective after the due date. Late fees accrue from the due date of this payment, statement of account or report of use until payment and the related statement of account are received by the collective.

Get more information about Reporting Requirements