The US Copyright Royalty Board has approved a cost-of-living adjustment to the royalty rates for certain noncommercial radio stations. Those affected include secular educational institutions that are not affiliated with NPR.
The Copyright Royalty Judges determined a 2.6% increase in the rates, based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers between December 2023 and December 2024. As a result, the annual royalty fee per station will rise from $194 to $199, rounded to the nearest dollar.
This adjustment applies to the license period beginning January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025. These rates were established under final regulations adopted by the Copyright Royalty Judges on June 28, 2023, for the license term spanning 2023–2027.
The updated rates govern payments for the use of “published nondramatic musical compositions” in the SESAC and GMR repertories under the statutory license outlined in Section 118 of the Copyright Act.
The new rates became official following their publication in the Federal Register on November 29.
With reporting from Adam R. Jacobson
