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SoundExchange Notifies Artists, Record Labels Owed Royalties

SoundExchange, a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., is designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to collect and distribute royalties from Webcasters, satellite radio services and other digital music providers to recording artists and record labels. SoundExchange is endeavoring to reach approximately 9,000 unregistered recording artists and 2,000 unregistered independent record labels to sign up to receive digital performance royalties collected between 1996 and 2000 by December 15, 2006.

Under federal law, royalties that are not claimed by recording artists and record labels within three years of SoundExchange’s receipt of such royalties are forfeited. The royalties are then applied to offset actual costs incurred in the collection, distribution, establishment and enforcement of statutory royalties. The SoundExchange Board of Directors, jointly controlled by representatives of recording artists and record labels, states that claims to royalties paid for the years 1996 through March 31, 2000, will not be accepted after December 15, 2006.

In a final attempt to notify unregistered record labels and recording artists or their heirs that they are at risk of forfeiting royalties, SoundExchange has published the list of names on its Website. Registration forms are also available for download, or call 202/828-0120 to request copies by fax, e-mail or U.S. Mail.

Registration materials must be postmarked or faxed to SoundExchange by December 15, 2006.

For more information, visit www.soundexchange.com.

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