Podcast and Broadcast Production Service Agreement

What a good one includes

• A highly detailed scope of work that specifies the exact production deliverables, including episode length, raw audio cleaning, sound design, and final file formats.
• Clear intellectual property clauses that explicitly state who owns the copyright to the raw audio, edited masters, show notes, and original theme music.
• A structured compensation schedule outlining flat fees, per-episode rates, and how future programmatic advertising or sponsorship revenue will be split.
• Explicit turnaround times and delivery schedules for both the host providing raw files and the producer returning the polished drafts.
• A specific revision policy defining how many rounds of audio edits are included in the baseline price and the cost of subsequent changes.
• A termination clause detailing how either party can exit the contract, including a kill fee to compensate the producer for work already completed if a project is canceled mid-cycle.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Failing to define who owns the show's RSS feed, name, and branding, which can lead to disastrous ownership battles if the podcast becomes highly successful.
• Neglecting to establish consequences for late delivery of raw assets, which often derails tight release schedules and leaves producers waiting indefinitely.
• Forgetting to include provisions regarding guest release forms, leaving the production team vulnerable to guests who later demand their interview be taken down.
• Leaving edit requests open-ended without a cap, which leads to scope creep where producers spend dozens of unpaid hours tweaking minor audio elements.

Frequently asked questions