US Copyright Office issues MLC NoI

31 January 2024 - Press release

DiMA Statement on Commencement of MLC Redesignation Process

The Mechanical Licensing Collective must be designated every 5 years

 

Today, the Notice of Inquiry for redesignation of the Mechanical Licensing Collective was published in the Federal Register. Redesignation presents an important opportunity for the music industry to assess what is working well in the mechanical licensing process, and what may need further work to realize the promise of the Music Modernization Act to support a thriving music economy.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective was established by the Music Modernization Act, and must be designated by the U.S. Copyright Office every five years. This year marks the first designation process since The Mechanical Licensing Collective, Inc. was initially designated by the Copyright Office in 2019.

DiMA supported and advocated for the Music Modernization Act when it was being drafted and debated by Congress, and continues to be enthusiastic supporters of this important law today. DiMA members and other Sec.115 licensees fund the Mechanical Licensing Collective, and have consistently met their obligations to the MLC’s funding requests and invested in enabling the MLC to succeed. As key stakeholders in the MLC, DiMA and its members are committed to participating in the redesignation process and sharing the perspective they’ve gained over the last five years.

Graham Davies, President and CEO of DiMA, said the following upon the Copyright Office’s issuance of the Notice of Inquiry: “The Music Modernization Act was landmark legislation designed to improve the licensing system for all stakeholders. The MMA was necessary to enable the streaming economy to grow to be the incredible success story it has become today. As set out in the MMA, the MLC has a critical role to play in this process. While we recognize the significant progress made since the MLC’s inception, the US Copyright Office redesignation process is an important opportunity to reflect on what should be required of the MLC over the next phase in terms of transparency, efficiency and neutrality. This review was intentionally built into the law, and we look forward to engaging in this important process.”