Creating a radio-style atmosphere, catchy intros and mood-setting background music are almost essential ingredients of a successful show. When podcast production begins, most creators immediately reach for their favourite songs to liven up the sound. This is exactly where it's very easy to walk into a serious legal trap, because in the digital space strict rules protect copyright.

How do music royalties work in Hungary?

On the Hungarian market, Artisjus is the collective rights management organisation that represents composers and lyricists. When a podcast creator wants to play commercially released, copyrighted music, they are obliged to pay a fee for that use.

Artisjus treats podcasts and on-demand audio content as a separate category. The amount of the royalty depends on several factors, such as whether the show contains advertising, how many listeners it has, and whether the music serves only as background or as a main element. 

It's important to understand that this kind of intellectual property requires two-tier licensing: not only do you have to settle the author's royalties, you may also have obligations towards record labels for using the specific recording.

The biggest myth among podcasters

Many people believe that if they only play 5–10 seconds of a well-known track, or if the show isn't profit-oriented, the law doesn't apply to them. That's a huge mistake. Under the Hungarian Copyright Act (SZJT), any public use of protected musical works requires a licence.

There is no clip length that automatically makes using copyrighted songs legal. If you use a pop song without permission, the streaming platforms' bots can block your episode in moments, or even delete your entire channel.

podcast music editing
How to handle podcast post-production legally

The simplest and most cost-effective solution is to work from sources that don't fall under traditional royalty obligations in the first place. In professional podcast post-production, these are the alternatives worth using:

  • Royalty-free music platforms: Sites such as Epidemic Sound or Artlist give you full access to tens of thousands of quality tracks for a monthly subscription. Episodes published while your subscription is active stay protected from takedowns forever.
  • Creative Commons (CC) licences: Some music is made freely available by its creators under certain conditions (such as crediting the artist). Always check the exact licence type, as some cannot be used for commercial shows.
  • Custom-composed music: If you want a completely unique identity, you can commission a composer to create a bespoke jingle. In this case, the contract must state precisely that you hold the exclusive rights to use the work.

Want to play it safe with your show?

Legal questions and technical pitfalls can easily spoil your enthusiasm for creating content. The Budapest Podcast Studio team not only provides a state-of-the-art technical environment for your recordings, but also offers professional support. 

With us, every phase of podcast production, from planning and recording to the post-production of the finished material, runs smoothly and fully legally.

Don't risk the future of your channel over a badly chosen track!

Leave the technical details, the podcast editing process and the sound to us, so you can focus solely on quality content and your guests. Get in touch with the experts at Budapest Podcast Studio, and let's create a professional, fully licensed show together!