For decades, our agency has worked with radio personalities and program producers, from local voices to nationally syndicated shows. Today, that same world includes podcasters, streamers, and independent creators recording from home studios across Bucks County and beyond. Whatever the platform, anyone speaking to an audience carries a set of risks that most business policies were never built to handle.
An On-Air Risk Glossary
- Defamation
- A claim that something said on air damaged a person’s or company’s reputation. Spoken remarks and published episodes can both lead to claims.
- Invasion of privacy
- Sharing private details about someone, or portraying them in a misleading way, without permission.
- Copyright and trademark infringement
- Using music, clips, logos, or other material without the proper rights.
- Misappropriation of likeness
- Using someone’s name, voice, or image to promote a show or product without consent.
Why general liability doesn’t stretch far enough: Standard general liability policies commonly exclude these types of claims for businesses whose core work is broadcasting or publishing. For on-air talent and producers, the content itself is the exposure.
Who Typically Needs Media Liability
- Radio hosts and syndicated personalities
- Program producers and production companies
- Podcasters with sponsors, guests, or growing audiences
- Creators whose contracts with networks or platforms require it
Habits That Reduce Risk
- Get signed releases from guests and interview subjects
- Confirm music and clip licenses before an episode airs
- Fact-check claims about real people and businesses
- Keep archived recordings in case a statement is ever disputed
Warren Weiss Insurance Agency has served Quakertown and the greater Lehigh Valley since 1946, and our work with broadcasting professionals has been part of that story for years. Meet our team, explore our business insurance options, or reach out through Warren Weiss Insurance Agency on Milford Square Pike in Quakertown, PA.
