- (1) During the month of July of each year, every person claiming to be entitled to compulsory license fees for public broadcasting during the preceding twelve-month period shall file a claim with the Register of Copyrights in accordance with the requirements that the Register shall prescribe by regulation. Notwithstanding any provision of the antitrust laws (as defined in section 1 of the Act of October 15, 1914, 38 Stat. 730; 15 U.S.C. 12, and any amendments of such laws), for purposes of this paragraph any claimants may agree among themselves as to the proportionate division of compulsory license fees among them, may lump their claims together, and may designate a common agent to receive payments on their behalf.
- (2) On the first day of August of each year, the Register of Copyrights shall determine whether there exists a controversy regarding the statement of account or distribution of royalty fees. If the Register determines that no such controversy exists, the Register shall, after deducting reasonable administrative costs under this section, distribute such fees to the copyright owners entitled, or to their designated agents. If the Register finds the existence of a controversy, the Register shall certify to such effect and proceed to constitute a panel of the Copyright Royalty Tribunal in accordance with section 803. In such cases, the reasonable administrative costs of the Register under this section shall be deducted prior to distribution of the royalty fees by the Tribunal.
- (3) During the pendency of any proceeding under this subsection, the Register of Copyrights or the Copyright Royalty Tribunal shall withhold from distribution, an amount sufficient to satisfy all claims with respect to which a controversy exists, but shall have discretion to proceed to distribute any amounts that are not in controversy.
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respectively, may negotiate and agree upon the terms and rates of royalty payments and the proportionate division of fees paid among various copyright owners, and may designate common agents to negotiate, agree to, pay, or receive payments.
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