+ Company Organization

Consider forming a company to distribute your podcast, especially if more than one person is involved in the production process. A properly formed company can protect you from liability, and all podcasts carry a risk of lawsuits over things like copyright. Coupling this with well-written contracts also clarifies that the company owns the production and that co-creators cannot remove their consent to use their work later on.

+ Contract Drafting

Those involved in the podcast should sign contracts to avoid legal headaches down the road. Permission to use contributions to the podcast should be clear. If you are licensing music or other audio for segments, then a licensing agreement should be made in writing. If you are collecting money from advertising, the time to get the fee sharing agreements done is ahead of time.

+ Podcast Network Negotiations

Many successful podcasts belong to a podcast network. These networks generally help publish, promote, and find advertising partners. But every podcast network works differently. When applying to a network or negotiating terms, a lawyer should represent you to make sure that the contract you sign is in your best interest.

+ Licensing

Podcasts have a lot of components, some of them licensed. Music licensing is common in podcast production. Even when using royalty free music, there may be attribution and other requirements that must be followed to avoid copyright infringement. The Law Firm of Dillon McCarthy can help your production navigate the complicated world of intellectual property licensing.

+ Copyright and Intellectual Property

Your podcast consists of a lot of hard work that deserves to be protected. Individual elements may be able to be protected by copyright or trademark law. But this is a notoriously complex process. Knowing when, if, and what to protect are questions that you should retain a lawyer to answer.