The MLC FAQs in Chinese - Simplified
The MLC 负责哪些许可类型？
The MLC 主要负责美国境内数字服务提供商提供的合法流媒体与下载的一揽子机械复制许可。The MLC 不涉及其他许可类型或版税事项，例如公开表演许可或版税、影音同步许可或版税、唱片版税等。
(English: What types of licenses does The MLC administer? The MLC administers blanket mechanical licenses to eligible streaming and download DSPs in the United States. The MLC is not involved in any other types of licenses or royalties, including public performance licenses or royalties, synchronization licenses or royalties, or record royalties.)
唱片公司是否仍需申请机械复制许可并支付相关版税？
唱片公司若需将音乐作品用于实体产品（如 CD 和黑胶唱片）的机械复制，仍需申请机械复制许可并支付相关版税。根据美国版权法，The MLC 核发的一揽子许可证涵盖永久下载使用权。然而，数字服务提供商仍可选择通过唱片公司取得此类许可并支付相关版税。
(English: Will record companies continue to secure mechanical licenses and pay mechanical royalties? Record companies will still need to secure mechanical licenses and pay mechanical royalties for mechanical uses of musical works in physical products, like CDs and vinyl records. Under the U.S. copyright law, the blanket licenses The MLC is issuing can include permanent download use, but the DSPs could also continue to rely on record companies to provide those licenses and pay those royalties.)
The Mechanical Licensing Collective（The MLC）是什么？
The MLC 是美国版权局根据 2018 年划时代的《音乐现代化法案》（Music Modernization Act）指定成立的非营利组织。自 2021 年 1 月起，The MLC 开始负责美国境内数字服务提供商提供的合法流媒体与下载的一揽子机械复制许可。The MLC 会从数字服务提供商收取此类许可的版税，并支付给词曲作者、作曲人及音乐出版商。
The MLC 建立了一个公开的音乐作品数据库，以及一个供创作者与音乐出版商提交和维护作品数据的 The MLC Portal 会员门户网站。这些工具有助于确保创作者与音乐出版商获得应有的报酬。
(English: What is The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC)? The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is a nonprofit organization designated by the U.S. Copyright Office pursuant to the historic Music Modernization Act of 2018. In January 2021, The MLC began administering blanket mechanical licenses to eligible streaming and download services (digital service providers or DSPs) in the United States. The MLC collects the royalties due under those licenses from the DSPs and pay songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers. The MLC has built a publicly accessible musical works database, as well as The MLC Portal that creators and music publishers can use to submit and maintain their musical works data. These tools will help ensure that creators and music publishers are paid properly.)
The MLC 位于哪里？
The MLC 总部位于美国田纳西州纳什维尔市，但团队成员分布于洛杉矶、迈阿密、纽约及伦敦等城市。我们致力于为音乐出版商、自行管理版权的词曲作者及作曲人提供服务，无论他们身在何处。
(English: Where is The MLC located? While our headquarters is in Nashville, we also have team members based in other cities. We have team members based in Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and London. We will strive to reach the music publishers and self-administered songwriters, composers and lyricists we serve wherever they are located.)
为什么会成立 The MLC？
The MLC 基于 2018 年颁布的《音乐现代化法案》成立。这项历史性法案旨在为数字服务提供商提供一种更高效、更有效的方式来获取其平台上音乐作品的使用许可，同时确保权利人（包括自行管理版权的词曲作者、作曲人、作词人，以及音乐出版商、版权管理机构和集体管理组织）获得其音乐作品使用所应得的机械复制版税。
《音乐现代化法案》设立了一种新的一揽子机械复制许可，使数字服务提供商能够涵盖其平台上所有音乐的使用。同时，该法案设立了 The MLC，专门负责管理一揽子许可，向数字服务提供商收取基于该一揽子许可应支付的版税，并将这些版税分配给权利人。The MLC 还根据法案规定，创建并维护一个公开的音乐作品数据库，以及一个供会员使用的门户网站，用于注册、维护和更新其音乐数据。
(English: Why was The MLC created? The Mechanical Licensing Collective was established by the Music Modernization Act of 2018 (MMA). This historic legislation sought to create a more efficient and effective way for digital service providers (DSPs) to license the music they make available on their platforms and ensure the proper rightsholders – self-administered songwriters, composers, and lyricists and music publishers, administrators and CMOs – were paid the mechanical royalties they are entitled for the use of their musical works. The MMA created a new blanket mechanical license that DSPs can secure to cover the use of all the music they make available on their platforms, as well as a new organization – The MLC – to exclusively administer the blanket license, collect royalties from DSPs due under those licenses and distribute those royalties to rightsholders. Per the MMA, The MLC also built and maintains both a publicly accessible musical works database and a portal that MLC Members use to register, maintain and update their music data.)
机械复制版税费率如何决定？
The MLC 核发的一揽子许可版税费率由美国版权版税委员会（Copyright Royalty Board）决定。
(English: How are mechanical royalty rates determined? The royalty rates for the blanket licenses issued by The MLC are determined by the United States Copyright Royalty Board.)
The MLC 何时收取与支付版税？
数字服务提供商每月向 The MLC 提交使用数据及相应的机械复制版税。The MLC 将使用数据与数据库中的音乐作品匹配。一旦匹配完成，The MLC 将版税支付给音乐出版商、管理商及自行管理版权的词曲作者与作曲人。
若词曲作者、作曲人或作词人许可音乐出版商或管理商在美国代收机械复制版税，则其机械版税将直接由这些机构支付给他们。
如需了解更多详情及时间表说明，请点击此处。
(English: When does The MLC collect and pay royalties? The DSPs send sound recording usage data, and accompanying mechanical royalties, to The MLC on a monthly basis. The MLC then matches the usage data to the musical works data in The MLC database. Once the data is matched, The MLC pays out the mechanical royalties to music publishers, administrators, and self-administered songwriters, composers and lyricists. Songwriters, composers and lyricists who have assigned their right to collect mechanical royalties in the United States to music publishers or administrators receive mechanical royalties directly from the music publisher or administrator. To learn more and view a helpful timeline graphic, click here.)
是否需要注册 The MLC 才能查看数据库中的音乐作品？
不需要。The MLC 的公开作品查询工具（Public Works Search）允许任何人无需注册 The MLC Portal 即可查看我们汇总的音乐作品数据。
(English: Do I need to register with The MLC in order to view musical works data in The MLC database? No, The MLC’s Public Works Search allows anyone to see the musical works data we have compiled, regardless of whether they are registered users of The MLC Portal.)
The MLC 是否会扣除部分版税作为运营成本？
不会。The MLC 不会从收取的版税中扣除运营成本。The MLC 的运营成本由数字服务提供商支付，费用形式为由美国版税委员会设定的行政评估费。The MLC 将 100% 收取的版税分配给权利人。
(English: Does The MLC keep a portion of my royalties to cover its operating costs? No, The MLC does not keep a portion of the mechanical royalties it collects to cover its operating costs. The operational costs of The MLC are paid for by DSPs through an administrative assessment set by the United States Copyright Royalty Board. The MLC distributes 100% of the mechanical royalties it collects.)
The MLC 计划如何教育音乐出版商、管理商及自行管理的词曲作者、作曲人和作词人，协助他们完成注册？
The MLC 通过多种宣传活动进行推广。这些活动包括与音乐行业组织合作，通过电子邮件简报、在线研讨会和社交媒体发布信息；在音乐行业会议上举办信息发布会；在以音乐为主题的线上和印刷出版物中投放广告并争取编辑报道；与为音乐出版商、词曲作者、作曲家和作词人提供商品或服务的公司合作；以及为专注于教授词曲作者、作曲家、作词人及未来音乐产业专业人士音乐出版知识的机构提供教育内容。
我们已开始向各种音乐行业组织进行广泛的宣传。如果您是某个组织的代表，并希望了解如何与我们合作，请联系我们：marketinginfo@themlc.com。
(English: How does The MLC plan to educate music publishers, administrators, and self-administered songwriters, composers and lyricists about getting registered? The MLC is engaged in many different outreach activities. These include working with music industry organizations to get the word out to their members in newsletters, webinars, and social media posts; holding information sessions at music industry conferences; advertising and securing editorial coverage in music-focused online and print publications; working with companies who provide goods or services to music publishers and songwriters, composers and lyricists; and providing educational content to organizations dedicated to teaching music publishing to songwriters, composers and lyricists and future music industry professionals. We have begun extensive outreach to a variety of music industry organizations. If you represent an organization that would like to explore ways to work with us, please contact us at marketinginfo@themlc.com.)
The MLC 的音乐作品数据是否开放对接其他行业数据库？
The MLC 的音乐作品数据是公开的，并且可以批量获取，因此可以复制并整合到其他行业数据库中。若要了解更多有关批量数据馈送服务（Bulk Database Feed）的信息，请点击此处。
(English: Will The MLC’s musical works data be available to connect to other industry databases? The MLC's musical works data is publicly available in bulk and can therefore be copied and incorporated into other industry databases. For more information on the Bulk Database Feed, click here.)
The MLC 的数据管理是否会使用区块链技术？
The MLC 目前暂无计划将区块链技术整合至系统。
(English: Will blockchain be used in the management of The MLC data? The MLC does not have any current plans to incorporate blockchain technology into its systems.)
是否可以通过 API 连接到 The MLC 数据库？
目前无法通过 API 连接到 The MLC 数据库，但 The MLC 正计划与国际标准制定组织 DDEX 合作开发这一功能。我们将会在有进一步信息时及时更新。
(English: Is it possible to connect to The MLC database using an API? While it is not currently possible to connect to The MLC database using an API, The MLC is planning to develop that capacity in collaboration with the international standards setting organization DDEX. When further information is available, we will update this answer.)
我是否需要具备 Harry Fox Agency 合作伙伴身份，才能从 The MLC 收取机械复制版税？
不，您无需具备 Harry Fox Agency 合作伙伴身份，即可从 The MLC 收取机械复制版税。
(English: Do I need to affiliate with HFA in order to receive mechanical royalties from The MLC? No, you do not need to affiliate with the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) in order to receive mechanical royalties from The MLC.)
HFA 和 Music Reports 这类公司是否会继续处理用于数字用途的机械复制许可和版税？
尽管 The MLC 是唯一负责管理一揽子机械复制许可的单位，但其他公司仍然可以管理数字服务提供商与音乐出版商之间的自愿性许可，包括用于数字用途的自愿性机械复制许可。
(English: Will companies like HFA and Music Reports continue to handle mechanical licenses and royalties for digital uses? While The MLC is the only entity that will administer the blanket mechanical license, other companies will still have the ability to administer voluntary licenses between DSPs and music publishers, including voluntary mechanical licenses for digital uses.)
唱片公司是否需要向 The MLC 报告任何数据？
唱片公司无需直接向 The MLC 提交其录音数据。不过，如果它们同时经营数字服务提供商或音乐出版业务，可能需要就相关活动向 The MLC 提交数据。
(English: Does a record company need to report anything to The MLC? Record companies are not required to directly deliver their sound recording data to The MLC, but to the extent that they may also operate a DSP or music publisher, they may need to do so in connection with those activities.)
The MLC 是否会对数字服务提供商进行审计？
The MLC 有权每三年对获得一揽子机械复制许可的数字服务提供商进行一次审计。
(English: Will The MLC audit DSPs? The MLC has the right to audit each DSP operating under a blanket mechanical license once every three years.)
什么是未匹配或未认领的版税？
“未匹配”数字机械复制版税是指数字服务提供商报告给 The MLC 的录音使用数据未能与 The MLC 数据库中的音乐作品匹配。
“未认领”数字机械复制版税是指音乐作品的所有权未被 100% 认领。例如，如果音乐作品只有 80% 被认领，剩余的 20% 即为未认领，未认领部分的版税即为未认领版税。
(English: What are unmatched or unclaimed royalties? “Unmatched” digital mechanical royalties result when sound recording usage data reported to The MLC by a DSP has not been matched to a musical work in The MLC’s database. “Unclaimed” digital mechanical royalties result when less than 100% of the ownership of a musical work has been claimed. For example, if only 80% of a musical work has been claimed, the remaining 20% is unclaimed, and the royalties associated with the unclaimed share are referred to as unclaimed royalties.)
未匹配或未认领的版税会如何处理？
2021 年 1 月 1 日起因使用产生的未匹配或未认领版税将至少保留三年，以便我们寻找并支付给合法的权利人。期间产生的所有利息将一并支付给权利人。
(English: What happens to unmatched or unclaimed royalties? Unmatched or unclaimed royalties, from usage occurring on or after January 1, 2021, will be held for a minimum of 3 years so we can work to find and pay the rightful owner. Any interest accrued during that time will be passed along to the rightsholders. )
The MLC 是否会处理过往的未匹配版税？
是的。过往的未匹配版税是指 2021 年 1 月 1 日新一揽子机械复制许可生效之前，数字服务提供商使用音乐作品产生的数字机械复制版税。部分数字服务提供商根据《音乐现代化法案》提供的选项，将使用数据和未支付版税转交给 The MLC，以便我们尝试与我们的数据库中的作品匹配并支付给权利人。如需更多信息，请点击此处访问我们的“过往未匹配版税”页面。
(English: Will The MLC be handling historical unmatched royalties? Yes. Historical unmatched royalties are digital mechanical royalties related to uses of musical works by DSPs prior to January 1, 2021, which is the date the new blanket license went into effect. Some DSPs used an option given to them by the Music Modernization Act to transfer usage data and associated unpaid royalties to The MLC, so that we could attempt to match the data to works in our database and pay rightsholders. Click here to visit our dedicated Historical Unmatched Royalties page for more information. )
The MLC 如何解决版权归属争议？
The MLC 不会解决版权归属争议。根据《音乐现代化法案》规定，The MLC 在实质争议提出时会暂时冻结版税，但归属问题将由争议双方或法院决定，而不是由 The MLC 解决。如需查看 The MLC 的争议处理政策，请点击此处。
(English: How will The MLC resolve ownership disputes? The MLC will not resolve disputes over copyright ownership. Pursuant to the MMA, The MLC has a policy for placing royalties on hold when a substantiated dispute has been raised, but the parties to the dispute, or the courts, will decide questions of ownership, not The MLC. To view The MLC’s Dispute Policy, click here.)
The MLC 多久分配一次机械复制版税？
The MLC 每月分配一次机械复制版税。如需更多分配周期的相关信息，请点击此处。
(English: How often will The MLC distribute mechanical royalties? The MLC distributes mechanical royalties on a monthly basis. For additional information on the timing, click here.)