The Network Deal That Could Swallow your Podcast

Can a Podcast Network Take Your Show? What to Check Before You Sign Legit Podcast Pro | Published October 29, 2026 | Last reviewed October 29, 2026 Short answer: Only if the contract gives it that right, and many network agreements do. The terms on ownership, term and exit decide what you keep when you leave. Summary: A network sends a term sheet. Your show is growing, or the network wants to build one around you, and there's a guaranteed payment on the table. It can be a great move, but the details decide who owns the show, how long the deal lasts, and whether you can ever leave. This episode walks podcasters through what to look for before signing. Three starting points • Joining a network with an existing show: you own the show today, and the deal decides how much of that you keep. • Being developed by or for a network: the network may own the concept, name and format from day one. • Developing a show with a network: ownership depends entirely on how the agreement is written. Main ideas • Service or stake: are you buying services from the network, or selling part of your show? • Assignment vs. license, and how each affects ownership • The show's name and trademark, RSS feed, hosting accounts, and back catalog • The "zombie" clause: auto-renewal, term extensions, and "in perpetuity" language • Option periods and reversion when a network shelves or never launches a show • Ad-sales exclusivity, first-look rights, matching rights, and key-person clauses • How revenue is defined, advances vs. guarantees, recoupment, cross-collateralization, and clawbacks • Reporting and audit rights • Assignment and change-of-control if the network is sold • Termination, cure periods, reversion, the revenue tail, and moving your feed and audience Before you sign • Identify which of the three situations you're in • Treat the term sheet and the long-form agreement as different documents, and negotiate the big points early • Carve out what you owned before the deal • Ask first: how do I leave? • Know what you can review yourself and when professional review earns its cost Authority: 17 U.S.C. § 204(a) (copyright transfers must be in a signed writing); 17 U.S.C. §§ 101 and 201(b) (work made for hire, discussed in a future episode). Resources: Full article and Q&A: https://gordonfiremark.com/post/217 Creator Business Protection Blueprint: https://gordonfiremark.com/blueprint If you're considering a network deal, reach out to schedule a consultation with me: https://gordonfiremark.com General information only, not legal advice. The scenarios in this episode are hypotheticals illustrating common patterns, not specific client matters. May Contain lawyer advertising