The U.S. Supreme Court has opted not to review the federal Copyright Royalty Board’s latest increase in royalty rates that webcasters are required to pay for playing audio recordings. This decision effectively dismisses an appeal by a radio trade group that argued the hike infringes on religious freedoms and violated administrative procedures.
The radio trade group contested one portion of the rate hike, asserting that the increase imposed an undue burden in violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and failed to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act. Despite these claims, the nation’s highest court declined to intervene, leaving the Board’s decision unchallenged.
For more details on this legal development, refer to the original coverage here.