A podcast co-host agreement is a contract between the owners of a podcast to ensure obligations and split of ownership is detailed and clear between all parties involved. Variously called a podcast partnership agreement, a podcast contract, a co-host agreement, or a podcast contract agreement is best signed before launching your show. Ultimately it’s a way to protect your intellectual property and the rights tied to it.
This article centers around agreements between partners (co-hosts) in a podcast, if you are looking for an agreement to use between you and your guests, check out this other article instead.
Contents
Why Would you Need a Podcast Co-Host Agreement?
Say you record a show with a friend or colleague and at some point during the relationship you end up disagreeing on something. It could be the guests you’d want to invite, or which topics to cover or it could be that one wants to stop and he other doesn’t. How would you resolve a situation like this?
A podcast co-host agreement clarifies how to move from disagreements and make decisions when the co-hosts aren’t able to. Ultimately helps navigate by setting ground rules the same way you would if you shared ownership of a company with someone else.
Without it, you would end up in a stale-mate that could cost you a whole venture just because you are not able to move forward when hitting an issue.
Disclaimer: Our lawyers have reviewed this contract. The information provided is only of informative nature and may not apply in your country or state of residence. The podcast co-host partnership agreement and the contents of this article do not constitute legal advice. Consult your lawyer for specific advice regarding your specific situation or country of residence.
When Podcast Relationships Go Bad
Podcast collaborations can improve your podcast’s reach, diversity, and appeal, but they can also go wrong. A podcast co-host agreement protects your rights and those of your co-host.
Comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality, Adam Carolla, was sued by former friends and business partners. They took legal action to enforce their right to equal decision-making regarding the podcast for ACE Broadcasting Network. They claim he broke the partnership agreement concerning their work on the podcast and that he failed to pay them appropriately before letting them go.
Whatever the size and scope of the podcast, when you enter an agreement with another person, issues can crop up. For example, you may think of using the podcast to launch your next book and those learning may have been based on content from the podcast. Without a proper legal coverage, you may be infringing the intellectual property rights of your partner. And if for example you planed on taking the podcast globally but your partner were to be content with lower coverate you’d be stuck in a situation you wouldn’t want.
It’s therefore easier to solve these issues with a podcast co-host or partnership agreement.
So, How Do You Engage in a Podcast Co-Host Agreement and What Should One Include?
It’s easy to create a signable document online. You can use an online signing service like HelloSign or DocuSign, which makes the process very convenient for the other party. He or she can sign the document from any device and have it back to you in seconds.
Here are some standard sections you should include in your podcast co-host agreement.
Members & Ownership Percentage
A good co-host agreement should contain a list of all owners of the podcast and their ownership percentage. It can either be single or multi-owned. It’s still beneficial to fill in a single owned podcast because it clearly states who the owner is and how the co-hosts, although appear in the podcast, will not own any stake in the podcast, its content or intellectual property.
Dissolution
There are more headaches from dissolution issues than anything. What happens when one of the podcast owners wants to stop or leave the podcast? How do you split the podcast? Or should you close it? These are all very important questions you’ll want answers to before you dedicate months or even years of your time.
Running Costs
An easy one to miss: if you are all owners, you should all pay up the costs of maintainance right? How should you split the costs and which costs are those? What happens if someone doesn’t pay up?
Ownership Changes
The covenants by which someone may leave or join the podcast. And explicit instructions on how to kick someone out if they don’t pay for costs or behave irregularly.
Arbitration
We all want to get along and get things done. Unfortunately we all have different points of view on how to run things. An arbitration clause can make sure that there is a way forward by means of finding a resolution to an impass. In the Podcast Co-Host Agreement it’s necessary to list the steps to ensure this happens. We like to suggest the addition of an Arbitrator to the podcast which will take 1% ownership of the podcast and will be invited to meetings to split the vote and avoid stalemates.
Grab Our Podcast Co-Host Partnership Agreement to Use on Your Podcast
If you are wondering where you can get a hold of a comprehensive co-host podcast partnership agreement, sign up for our newsletter today and receive our version of the agreement in your inbox. Our podcast partnership agreement is easy to understand and will help protect you from future conflicts with your co-hosts.
Conclusion
In an ideal world we would be able to make decisions with our podcast partners without a hitch. Unfortunately, given the creative and collaborative nature of podcasts, it’s very easy to end up in a situation where a party feels left out. A podcast partnership agreement helps navigate the fast-paced landscape where tech and collaboration may leave open threads and sets expectations for everyone involved.
Related: Start a Podcast People Will Listen To [2023 Guide]
Disclaimer: Our lawyers have reviewed this contract. The information provided is only of informative nature and may not apply in your country or state of residence. The podcast co-host partnership agreement and the contents of this article do not constitute legal advice. Consult your lawyer for specific advice regarding your specific situation or country of residence.
