Maria Pallante, director of the U.S. Copyright Office, says that it is past time for the U.S. to recognize a “full public performance right for sound recordings,” including bringing pre-1972 recordings under federal copyright protection. She also says it is time to make unauthorized online content streaming a felony, and to review anticircumvention exceptions.
That is according to her testimony for a hearing Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee.
The Copyright Office made that recommendation in a report last year, which also called for greater parity among competing platforms. Music publishers argue that they are being seriously undercompensated for digital airplay on sites like Pandora .
via Copyright Director: Time For Full Public Performance Right | Broadcasting & Cable.