*Read Through Before Submitting

HOT 98.8 FM – TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SONG SUBMISSION

Effective Date: The Date of Submittal

Submission Fee: $150 USD

This agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into between HOT 98.8 FM (“Station”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) and the submitting artist or rights holder (“Artist”, “you”, or “your”) upon submission of music to our platform, and is governed by the following terms:

1. Purpose of Submission

By submitting your song and paying the associated $150.00 submission fee, you acknowledge and agree that:

    •    The fee does not guarantee airplay or rotation and is not in exchange for broadcast spins.

    •    This is not a payola arrangement. We adhere strictly to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and all applicable laws prohibiting pay-for-play practices.

    •    The fee covers administrative processing to log, track, and document your submitted recording(s) in order to assist with accurate spin counts for reporting to performance rights organizations (“PROs”) including BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC.

2. Ownership and Registration Requirements

Artists must own or control 100% of the rights to the sound recording and the underlying composition submitted. Submissions are strictly limited to works that are:

    •    Registered with at least one recognized PRO (BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC);

    •    Fully original (no uncleared samples or third-party content);

    •    Not composed using unlicensed or “free use” beats (e.g., YouTube beats without exclusive rights).

Submissions found to be in violation of this section will result in:

    •    Immediate and permanent ban from submitting future materials to HOT 98.8 FM;

    •    Possible reporting to PROs and other applicable entities for copyright infringement and unauthorized public performance use.

3. Spin Tracking and Reporting

While airplay is not guaranteed, once a song is entered into our system, it is eligible for rotation and will be tracked in accordance with our internal spin-logging methods. Monthly and/or quarterly spin reports may be furnished to PROs to support your royalty collections, subject to proper registration and eligibility.

HOT 98.8 FM reserves the right to determine the frequency and timing of any airplay, which is based on factors including listener requests, rotation needs, and compliance with these terms.

4. Marketing Guide and Fan Engagement

Each submission includes access to a recommended promotional guide intended to help boost artist visibility. Artists are strongly encouraged to activate their fanbase and maximize exposure through the following means:

    •    Have fans call in requests to our listener hotline: (619) 751-9660

    •    Send song requests via email to: hot98.8fm@gmail.com

    •    Tag and engage on social media: @hot98.8fm

⚠️ Important:

Engaging in spam behavior (e.g., mass fake accounts or auto-generated requests) will result in song removal from consideration and potential disqualification from future opportunities.

Organic and consistent fan engagement will increase the likelihood of your record receiving consistent rotation.

5. No Refund Policy

All submissions and fees are final and non-refundable, regardless of outcome. This includes but is not limited to removal for non-compliance, quality issues, or disputes over airplay volume.

6. Limitation of Liability

HOT 98.8 FM is not responsible for any royalties, misreporting by PROs, third-party infringements, or artist-side misregistrations. You bear sole responsibility for properly registering your works and monitoring your royalty collections.

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless HOT 98.8 FM, its partners, agents, and affiliates, from any claims arising from breach of copyright, trademark, or contract resulting from your submission.

7. Entire Agreement and Governing Law

This Agreement represents the entire understanding between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements, whether written or oral. It is governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflicts of law provisions.

Any disputes arising under this Agreement shall be resolved in the appropriate courts of San Diego County, California.

By submitting your music and payment, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to all the above terms.

HOT 98.8 FM

Where Independent Artists Make Noise.

hot98.8fm@gmail.com | @hot98.8fm

Hotline: (619) 751-9660