The Copyright Royalty Tribunal (“Tribunal”), the predecessor to the Copyright Royalty Board (“CRB”), formed Claimant category definitions in the Tribunal’s 1984 Cable Royalty Distribution Proceeding, which have been followed by the Tribunal, the CARPs, and Phase 1 parties. The Claimant category definitions are as follows:

“Program Suppliers.” Syndicated series, specials and movies, other than Devotional Claimants programs as defined below. Syndicated series and specials include (1) programs licensed to and broadcast by at least one U.S. commercial television station during the calendar year in question, (2) programs produced by or for a broadcast station that are broadcast by two or more U.S. television stations during the calendar year in question, and (3) programs produced by or for a U.S. commercial television station that are comprised predominantly of syndicated elements, such as music video shows, cartoon shows, “PM Magazine,” and locally hosted movie shows.

“Joint Sports Claimants.“Live telecasts of professional and college team sports broadcast by U.S. and Canadian television stations, except for programs falling under the Canadian Claimants category as defined below.

“Commercial Television Claimants.” Programs produced by or for a U.S. commercial television station and broadcast only by that one station during the calendar year in question and not coming within the exception described in (3) of the “Program Suppliers” definition above.

“Public Television Claimants.”All programs broadcast on U.S. noncommercial educational television stations.

“Devotional Claimants.” Syndicated programs of a primarily religious theme, including, but not limited to, those produced by or for religious institutions.

“Canadian Claimants.” All programs broadcast on Canadian television stations, except (1) live telecasts of Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, and U.S. college team sports, and (2) other programs owned by U.S. copyright owners.

“Music Claimants.” Musical works performed during programs that are separately represented as parts of the categories defined above.

For more information, please see 1984 Cable Royalty Distribution Proceeding, 52 Fed. Reg. 8408, 8416 (Mar. 17, 1987); Advisory Opinion, Docket No. CRT 85-4 84 CD (May 16, 1986).