There are three industry agreements dealing with the acquisition of the performers’ rights of musicians taking part in in-house BBC programmes: the Television Agreement between the BBC and the Musicians’ Union (MU); the Chamber Musicians’ Agreement between the BBC and the MU; and the Television Agreement between the BBC and the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM).

The ISM agreement covers:

• Musicians who work as vocal and instrumental soloists (except principals in opera and light entertainment solo singers, who are represented by Equity — see the Actors page in this section),
  
  
• Conductors of symphony and concert orchestras, opera and ballet,

• Choral conductors,
  
  
• Accompanists (but not rehearsal pianists, who are represented by the MU),
  
  
• Church musicians (except lay clerks in the London cathedral churches, who again are represented by Equity)
  
  
• Instrumental duos playing chamber music.

The MU Chamber Musicians’ television agreement covers musicians playing chamber music, one to a part, without a conductor, where three or more musicians are involved.