Podcasting Consent Form

Over at Podonomics, Leesa Barnes is discussing consent forms for interviewees on your podcast. Here’s my perspective. I did several hundred episodes of a radio interview show that was local and eventually nationally syndicated. We never had guests sign a consent form. I’ve appeared on a half a dozen or so radio shows as an interviewee. I’ve never signed a consent form. I’ve been on dozen of podcasts, interviewed dozens of people for my podcast, no consent forms.

I’m not sure what exactly she’s after with the form. Self-protection? She based the concept off of the Podcast Brothers form, but then made it less formal. As I understand their form, the main reason for it is to preserve the possibility of commercial use of the interview (ie, selling it in some form) without any further compensation to the interviewee.

I think she’s arrived at the worst of all worlds. Her form lacks weightiness, but by existing has this bureaucratic presence. She’s not preserving any of the commercial rights of the Podcast Brothers form, so what is the point? Couldn’t she arrive at the same place by just mailing them a list of things to expect when interviewed for her show? I can tell you that if she emailed me asking for an interview and when I agreed I got that form to sign and return, I would be seriously weirded out. At best, it would make the interview odder and at worst would make me decide to bail altogether.

Update: She confused me with the “consent form” nomenclature. She’s not actually asking anyone to sign anything. Objections withdrawn, your witness.

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dave

Dave Slusher is a blogger, podcaster, computer programmer, author, science fiction fan and father. Member of the Podcast Hall of Fame class of 2022.

One thought on “Podcasting Consent Form”

  1. All I dois when I start recording is say “This is Ewan Spence at EVENTNAME, with INTERVIEWNAME. This is being recorded for a podcasting, are you okay with that?” and let them say “yes” before commencing the interview. I’ve now got an index section when I flip through the arc, I’ve got something that can at least some ‘reasonable consent’ if I get pulled up, and it’s super painless.

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