Industry Tips
Music Copyrights
The U.S. Copyright Law, contained in Title 17 of the US Code, grants to copyright owners the exclusive rights to reproduce, prepare derivative works based upon, distribute copies of, and perform and display publicly the copyrighted work. Anyone else who wants to use the copyrighted material in any of these ways must first get permission from the copyright holder or authorized agent. This is true whether the performance of the work is live, recorded, or broadcast over the radio or television. Court decisions have held that the only exception to this rule is the performance of work by a single receiving apparatus of a kind commonly used in private homes - and not further transmitted to the public.
Any business that uses copyrighted material, like music broadcast for its clientele should consult with an attorney to under- stand the full scope of the copyright law. Copies of Copyright Basics are available through the Library of Congress, Information Section, Copyright Office, Washington DC 20559.
