Future of Music Coalition to Congress: Preserve Artists' Ability To Capture Rights

14 July 2014 - Press release

VP for Policy Casey Rae to appear as witness in House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on copyright

On Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 1PM, the House Judiciary subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet will hold the latest in a series of hearings on current copyright law. Future of Music Coalition Vice President for Policy and Education, Casey Rae, will testify at a hearing on “Moral Rights, Termination Rights, Resale Royalty and Copyright Term.”

Rae, a musician, artist advocate and educator, will underscore the importance of creators’ ability to file to reclaim copyrights they had previously transferred to a label or publisher following a 35-year period established by Congress in the 1976 Copyright Act.

As Rae states in written and oral comments before the subcommittee:

“Termination rights allow creators to have another bite at the apple, even if they end up re-granting their rights to a label, publisher or another entity. Artists may have more leverage than they did at the time that they first signed, and using that leverage, they can negotiate more favorable deals or recapture ownership for the purpose of licensing directly.

“These rights are especially important today, given the evolution of the marketplace. For example, we now have an expanded range of license opportunities and uses that are still on the horizon. One huge development is the ability to sell music directly to fans. As an artist, I want to be able to directly participate in revenue streams generated from the use of my work, and that’s something I hear from other artists as well. Termination rights are part of our leverage and help to ensure that we receive fair compensation.”

Rae will also address the importance of attribution to musicians and songwriters, as well as stressing that Congress’ review of existing copyright law provides an opportunity to examine new proposals regarding the period under which copyrights receive federal protection (currently the lifetime of the author plus 70 years).

The hearing will take place at 2141 Rayburn House Office Building at 1PM EST, and will also be webcast live at the House Judiciary Committee website

Casey Rae’s written testimony is available here

An overview of the subcommittee's ongoing review of the Copyright Act, with timelines, summaries, and archived testimony can be accessed here