Parties
Full legal names and entity type for all contracting parties, plus contact and remit information for billing and notices.
A written Media Fee Agreement clarifies responsibilities, reduces billing disputes, and supports enforcement of payment terms. For electronic execution, the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA (where adopted) give electronic signatures the same legal effect as handwritten signatures, subject to limited statutory exceptions.
Typical users include marketing agencies, content producers, publishers, brand legal teams, and independent contractors who supply or broker media placements.
Parties use this agreement to document payment, reporting, and rights; the document also supports accounting, tax reporting, and audit trails when stored and executed correctly.
Full legal names and entity type for all contracting parties, plus contact and remit information for billing and notices.
Clear description of the media, assets, campaign dates, territories, and any exclusivity or placement requirements that define deliverables.
Itemized fees, currency, due dates, late interest, invoicing frequency, and any retainers or deposits required before work begins.
Accepted payment methods, tax responsibilities, and whether amounts are gross or net of taxes and fees.
Ownership or license terms for creative assets, permitted uses, duration, sublicensing rights, and attribution requirements.
Termination rights, remedies for breach, governing law, and any required notice periods or cure opportunities.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Auto-fill party | Populate from contact record to reduce errors |
| Conditional fee | Show alternate rate if campaign size threshold met |
| Reminder schedule | Set automatic reminders at 7 and 2 days before due |
| Payment integration | Connect to accounting or payment gateway |
Choose formats and authentication that match risk and the parties' technical capacity when delivering the agreement electronically.
Date obligations begin; use MM/DD/YYYY
Due date for initial deliverables
Net terms determine payment deadline
Time allowed to review and accept work
Period required to end the agreement
Final draft ready for internal review and approvers
Stakeholders sign off before external sending
All parties sign and authenticate signatures
Invoice processed and funds received
| Criteria | Media Fee Agreement | Licensing Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | payment terms for media | grant of usage rights |
| Rights Transfer | usually no transfer | possible ownership transfer |
| Typical Attachments | media specs | license exhibits |
| Notarization | rarely required | rarely required |
Statements of work, media plans, insertion orders, and creative briefs should be attached or referenced as exhibits.
W-9 from vendors and invoices for accounting and possible 1099 reporting purposes.
Logs, proof of placement, and screenshots to confirm fulfillment of media obligations.
Provide executed agreements as searchable PDF and retain original editable DOCX for records.
A chief officer or authorized signatory with delegated authority may sign on behalf of a corporate party; confirm board or internal delegation where required and document authority in corporate records.
An employee or agent with written signing authority (POA or company resolution) may sign; include title and capacity to avoid later challenges to authority.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes, 7-day free trial | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies by plan |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies | Varies | Varies |
A small production firm adopted eSigning for fee agreements to speed approvals and compliance.
An agency standardized media fee templates and used electronic workflows to reduce back-and-forth.