MP3 file
A computer file created with compression technology commonly used to
make digital audio computer files relatively small while maintaining
high audio quality.
Copyright
The legal right to reproduce, adapt, distribute, perform publicly and
display a work of intellectual property. Sound recordings have two
copyrights, one each on the following:
* the underlying musical work (notes and lyrics)
* the actual recording itself (the artists interpretation and the work
of the producers, engineers and backup musicians as fixed on the CD,
cassette or videotape)
Each copyright grants the owner a "bundle of rights," which includes
the rights to reproduce, distribute, adapt, perform publicly and
display the copyrighted work. Certain of these rights are implicated by
an Internet transmission of music. For example, loading a sound
recording into a server for future transmissions, making a real-time
transmission of a sound recording or downloading a sound recording
(either temporarily or permanently) to a listeners computer -- each
triggers the rights of the copyright owners of the two works embodied
in the sound recording.
Counterfeit recordings
A form of music piracy that involves the unauthorized recording or
duplication of prerecorded sounds as well as the unauthorized
duplication of original artwork, label, trademark and packaging.
LicensingThe awarding of rights to
perform, reproduce, distribute or digitally transmit a copyrighted
work. Performance rights usually come from one of three organizations
that represent songwriters and publishers: The
American Society of Composers,
Authors and Publishers,
Broadcast Music Inc. or
SESAC. Reproduction, distribution and digital transmission rights usually come from the original recording company. The
RIAA
as a trade association does not have licensing authority. However, it
is helping to negotiate and administer the "statutory licenses"
prescribed by law for certain kinds of digital transmissions of sound
recordings.
Til next time,
Roger Fortner
