Caution Before Doing Podcasts For Organizations or Non-Profits

“Who ultimately is the owner of the content with regards to starting it for a non-profit or an organization?”

YouTube viewer, Karrie Bond asked this question on one of my my previous videos. 

She goes on to say, “I would be hosting and handling it, but sort of like with a, 'Welcome, I’m Karrie Bond, and you’re listening to the __________ podcast, by/from [name of the organization], where we discuss __________.', The links that follow it would be, "Go, check out the [name of organization or client.'”

WHO REALLY OWNS CONTENT FROM AN ORGANIZATION?

If you are the one that’s hosting the content, or you’re hosting everything on Libsyn or Blubrry, I would say that you’re the one that owns that content because you’re absorbing those costs for the podcast.

If the non-profit or the organization is giving you a reimbursement, and they want own that content, I would imagine that is a way for them to say, “Okay, we want to own this content.”

I’m not a lawyer, obviously, and I don’t know the legalities behind it, but if you are seriously having doubts or questions about it, I would recommend that you get some legal advice. Ask who owns that content for sure.

If you can come to some type of mutually beneficial agreement when it comes down to creating podcast for an organization, this might be the path you go down to make it easier in case something bad happens.  But not all things that end are bad.  Sometimes each party may leave on good terms.  So it's still a good thing to have an agreement.

DEALING WITH A BAD SITUATION

I’m in no position to give any type of legal advice when it comes down to a decision where you will leave on bad terms or vice versa.

Seek legal advice. Period.

Karrie also added in her comment, “Another thought was to create a podcast and word it as if the organization or the company were sponsors of the podcast. Then, if the relationship ever dissolved, I would just continue on solo. They will get the benefit of the traffic as long as we’re working together, but, should things change later, I wouldn’t lose all the work that I had done.”

That’s certainly one way that you can do it, as long as it’s okay with the company.

Again, check with an attorney, and see whether or not it’s cool if you leave on good terms. 

Your best bet is to try to come up with some type of agreement.

See if you can find a general contract online that will help you construct an agreement.  But maybe you really want to protect yourself, take it to an attorney.

Try to cover your bases as best as you can.

Let’s just try to be logical: if you’re paying for it, I think that you’re the one that owns that content.

If they’re reimbursing you to own the content, then they probably want to own the content.

Pretty simple.