U.S. Code of Federal Regulations

Regulations most recently checked for updates: Mar 26, 2026

§ 380.40 - Definitions.

In addition to the definitions in § 380.7, the following definitions apply for purposes of this subpart:

Collective means the collection and distribution organization that is designated by the Copyright Royalty Judges, which, for the current rate period, is SoundExchange, Inc.

Commercial Broadcaster is a Commercial Webcaster, a material part of the business of which consists of owning and operating one or more terrestrial AM or FM broadcast radio stations licensed as such by the Federal Communications Commission.

Commercial Webcaster means a Licensee, other than a Noncommercial Webcaster, Noncommercial Educational Webcaster, or Public Broadcaster, that makes Ephemeral Recordings and eligible Digital Audio Transmissions of sound recordings pursuant to the statutory licenses under 17 U.S.C. 112(e) and 114(d)(2).

Copyright Owners means sound recording copyright owners, and rights owners under 17 U.S.C. 1401(l)(2), who are entitled to royalty payments made under this part pursuant to the statutory licenses under 17 U.S.C. 112(e) and 114.

Digital Audio Transmission has the same meaning as in 17 U.S.C. 114(j)(5).

Eligible Transmission means a Nonsubscription Transmission made by a Licensee that is subject to licensing under 17 U.S.C. 114(d)(2) and the payment of royalties under this part.

Ephemeral Recording has the same meaning as in 17 U.S.C. 112.

Licensee means a Commercial Webcaster, a Noncommercial Webcaster, a Noncommercial Educational Webcaster, a Public Broadcaster, or any entity operating a noninteractive internet streaming service that has obtained a license under 17 U.S.C. 114 to make Eligible Transmissions and a license under 17 U.S.C. 112(e) to make Ephemeral Recordings to facilitate those Eligible Transmissions.

Noncommercial Educational Webcaster means a Noncommercial Educational Webcaster under subpart C of this part.

Noncommercial Webcaster has the same meaning as in 17 U.S.C. 114(f)(4)(E), but excludes a Noncommercial Educational Webcaster or Public Broadcaster.

Nonsubscription has the same meaning as in 17 U.S.C. 114(j)(9).

Payor means the entity required to make royalty payments to the Collective or the entity required to distribute royalty fees collected, depending on context. The Payor is:

(1) A Licensee, in relation to the Collective; and

(2) The Collective in relation to a Copyright Owner or Performer.

Performance means each instance in which any portion of a sound recording is publicly performed to a listener by means of a Digital Audio Transmission (e.g., the delivery of any portion of a single track from a compact disc or server copy to one listener), but excludes the following:

(1) A performance of a sound recording that does not require a license (e.g., a sound recording that is not subject to protection under title 17, United States Code);

(2) A performance of a sound recording for which the service has previously obtained a license from the Copyright Owner of such sound recording; and

(3) An incidental performance that both:

(i) Makes no more than incidental use of sound recordings including, but not limited to, brief musical transitions in and out of commercials or program segments, brief performances during news, talk and sports programming, brief background performances during disk jockey announcements, brief performances during commercials of sixty seconds or less in duration, or brief performances during sporting or other public events; and

(ii) Does not contain an entire sound recording, other than ambient music that is background at a public event, and does not feature a particular sound recording of more than thirty seconds (as in the case of a sound recording used as a theme song).

Performers means the independent administrators identified in 17 U.S.C. 114(g)(2)(B) and (C) and the parties identified in 17 U.S.C. 114(g)(2)(D).

Public Broadcaster means a Public Broadcaster under subpart D of this part.

Qualified Auditor means an independent Certified Public Accountant.

Transmission has the same meaning as in 17 U.S.C. 114(j)(15).