Understanding Licensing

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What is Licensing?
Broadcast License
Non-Broadcast License
Licensing Terms
Licenses for Talent Packages

What is Licensing?

Licensing determines the scope for how your voice over will be used. It can be found in the job posting form and the job agreement.

There are two primary types of licenses:

1. Broadcast
2. Non-Broadcast

We define these as:

Broadcast: A Broadcast License grants a person or company paid media rights to use the voice over in broadcasting channels like radio, television, or online ads in a particular market for a defined time period.

Non-Broadcast: A Non-Broadcast License grants a person or company unpaid media rights to use the voice over in-perpetuity. Examples include organic social media, websites, PR campaigns, etc.

 

Broadcast License

A Broadcast License grants a person or company paid media rights to use the voice over in broadcasting channels like radio, television, or online ads in a particular market for a defined time period.

Broadcast Licenses typically:

• have some kind of geographic coverage (i.e. local, regional, or national);
• have restrictions as to the type of medium the ad can run on (i.e. radio, television, or online);
• run or are used over a set period of time (i.e. 13-weeks, 1-year), and;
• have set budgetary minimums (i.e. jobs must be posted at a minimum amount to ensure talent are paid according to industry standards).

While Broadcast Licenses typically last for the time periods mentioned above, we do allow clients to post a job with a custom ‘run’ or term length, which is especially helpful for online advertising.

Again, Broadcast Licenses are needed for use of the voice over in radio, television, or online ads:
 

Radio Ad

Indicates the final files will be heard on public radio (i.e. AM, FM, or satellite). Examples include radio ads and public service announcements.

Television Ad

Indicates the final files will be heard on television. Examples include television ads and programs.

Online Ad

Indicates the final files will be heard on the internet in some kind of advertisement. Examples include YouTube ads, Spotify ads, and audio-based digital ads. 
 

Non-Broadcast License

A Non-Broadcast License grants a person or company unpaid media rights to use the voice over in-perpetuity. Examples include organic social media, websites, events, PR campaigns, etc.

Examples of voice over categories that would require a non-broadcast license are:

Animation

Indicates the final files will be used in some kind of animation. Examples include narration or character voices for cartoons and animated films.

Audiobooks

Indicates the final files will be used to narrate an audiobook.

Documentaries

Indicates the final files will be used to narrate a documentary.

Elearning

Indicates the final files will be used in an educational or informative capacity. Examples include internal training courses, product or software tutorials, and company overview videos. 

Movie Trailers

Indicates the final files will be used as part of a trailer for a movie, but not as part of an advertisement for the film or an advertising campaign.

Podcasting

Indicates the final files will be used as part of a podcast, but not as part of an advertisement played during the podcast. Examples include podcast introductions, narrations, or character voices.

Telephone

Indicates the final files will be used as part of an interactive voice recording (IVR) system.

Video Games

Indicates the final files will be used as part of a video game. Examples include narration and character voices. 
 

Video Narration

Indicates that the final files will be used in a video format, pairing creative visuals with voice over. In many cases these would be online videos (excluding online ads, which fall under broadcast usage). Examples could include a demo of a new website feature with narration over top, product explainer videos, announcement videos, internal or external presentations and keynotes, or in-app narration.

Voice Assistant

Indicates the final files will be used as part of a smart voice assistant. Examples include smart speakers, GPS directional guidance, smart home appliances, and smartphone assistants. 

 

Licensing Terms

Licensing Terms indicate for how long the voice over can be used for by the client. This information can be found in the Licensing Details section of the Job Posting Form. 

 

Licenses for Talent Packages

The information above also applies to the way talent create their package listings. You'll see market and time period combinations referenced in broadcast voice over projects, which will dictate the pricing of those projects and provide you with a Broadcast License. You'll also see that Broadcast voice over packages come with a Non-Broadcast License to cover any potential unpaid media uses for that voice over (i.e. organic social media, etc.)

For Non-Broadcast voice over projects, you'll see a Non-Broadcast License included.

If you require additional usage that isn't covered in a talent's package listing, we encourage you to invite that talent to a job.