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BBC (TV and Radio) Agreement

Updated: 05 September 2025 | 7:37 AM
Agreement

The agreement between BBC and the MU applies to in-house BBC productions, and sets out the minimum terms and conditions for engaging session musicians for BBC TV and Radio content. The agreement covers:

  • Live sessions and the broadcasting of BBC and non-BBC events (e.g. Radio 1 Live Lounge, 6 Music sessions, Later with Jools Holland, Strictly Come Dancing, Glastonbury, BBC Proms)
  •  musicians engaged to record specially composed music (e.g. titles, jingles or incidental music)
  • the reuse of existing performance footage
  • BBC Public Service rights (TV, Radio, online, iPlayer etc)
  • secondary exploitation of musicians’ performances e.g. TV sales, DVD and DTO (Download To Own)
  •  rates for signed bands and artists (Established Self-Contained Groups).

Please note that recordings created for BBC Studios are now paid and contracted under the BBC Studios / MU Agreement addendum.

Rates of pay for BBC session musicians taking place from 1 July 2025

Basic 3 hour recording session fees:

Type Fee Overtime
Television £257.00 £26.00 per 15 mins
Radio £87.00 £10.00 per 15 mins

Recording for programmes that are not for full network broadcast may be paid at a discounted rate.

Multiple use recording fees

Scale Fee per hour Minimum Fee Overtime (per 15 mins)
1 £145.00 £434.00 £41.00
2 £108.00 £324.00 £32.00
3 £96.00 £287.00 £29.00
4 £74.00 £223.00 £21.00

Additional fees

Doubling Trebling Overdubbing
Plus 10% of session fee Plus 20% of session fee Plus 110% of session fee per overdub

Porterage

Group A Group B Group C Group D
£23.00 £19.00 £12.00 By Negotiation

Member services for recording musicians

Membership for recording musicians