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U.S. Copyright Office
NewsNet

October 29, 1998
Issue 23
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For additional information, visit the Copyright Office homepage at

http://www.copyright.gov.

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CONTENTS

* News*

a. Legislative News
          1. President Signs Term Extension Act (S. 505)

b. Federal Register
          2. Cable Compulsory License: Specialty Station List (63 FR 56948)


* Calendar*

* To Subscribe/Unsubscribe to NewsNet*


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* NEWS*


----------------Legislative News----------------

PRESIDENT SIGNS TERM EXTENSION ACT (S. 505)
On Oct. 27, 1998, the President signed into law S. 505, which includes two
titles. Title I is the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. Effective
immediately, this title extends the term of copyright an additional 20
years, making the term for most works the life of the author plus 70 years.
Title II, the Fairness in Music Licensing Act of 1998, provides exemptions
to the public performance right in broadcast music for certain qualifying
food service and drinking establishments. These provisions will become
effective 90 days after the signing of S. 505.

----------------Federal Register----------------

For the complete text of Federal Register announcements, visit the
Copyright Office homepage at http://www.copyright.gov.

CABLE COMPULSORY LICENSE: SPECIALTY STATION LIST (63 FR 56948)
On Oct. 23 the Copyright Office published a list of stations listed in
affidavits sent to the Copyright Office in which the owner or licensee of
the station attests that the station qualifies as a specialty station in
accordance with the Federal Communication Commission's definition of
specialty station in effect on June 24, 1981. Any party may file with the
Copyright Office an objection to an owner's claim of specialty station
status. Comments must be received by Nov. 23, 1998. The annotated list will
be effective on the date of the beginning of the accounting period that
starts after the publication of the final list in the Federal Register.


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* CALENDAR *

October 27, 1998: Effective date of copyright term extension generally to
life of the author plus 70 years

November 1, 1998: Deadline for comments on the notice of systems of records

November 1, 1998: Effective date of systems of records unless the Copyright
Office publishes notice to the contrary

November 23, 1998: Deadline for filing comments on the specialty station
list published in the Federal Register on Oct. 23, 1998


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