{
  "id": "RS21107",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RS21107",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 102682,
      "date": "2003-12-10",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-08T14:32:14.607544",
      "title": "Copyright Law's \"Small Business Exception\": Public Performance Exemptions for Certain Establishments",
      "summary": "The Copyright Act grants specific exclusive rights to the owners of copyrighted works. Among\nthe\nrights conferred upon the composer of a musical work is the authority to \"perform the work\npublicly.\" This right is implicated when small businesses, including bars, cafes, and restaurants\nbroadcast background music from either the radio, television or from recordings such as compact\ndiscs.\n  While the general provisions of the Copyright Act require that these businesses obtain licenses\nto play background music, there are exemptions, which were expanded when Title II of the \"Sonny\nBono Copyright Term Extension Act\" was signed into law. These exemptions allow bars, cafes, and\nrestaurants, to play the radio and show television programing, but do not authorize the playing of\nrecorded music. Research does not uncover any other provisions that would definitively immunize\npublic performances of audio tapes and musical CDs in small business establishments from possible\nliability for copyright infringement. \n  This report will be updated as circumstances warrant.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RS21107",
          "sha1": "bff6fd9ee3e8b4463dc31c238cdbb6d82aa3f85a",
          "filename": "files/20031210_RS21107_bff6fd9ee3e8b4463dc31c238cdbb6d82aa3f85a.pdf",
          "images": null
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20031210_RS21107_bff6fd9ee3e8b4463dc31c238cdbb6d82aa3f85a.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "American Law"
  ]
}