Streaming Christmas Programs and Worship Services  

November 11, 2022

While many churches initially started streaming out of necessity, streaming services and events have become extremely valuable to their ministry. And this is especially true at Christmas. Streaming your church Christmas programs expands your audience and maximizes the reach of your message.  
 

Which streaming license is right for your church?   

You have options when deciding which streaming license your church needs this Christmas. Christian Copyright Solutions (CCS) and Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) both offer church streaming licenses that provide coverage for your church-owned website (churchname.com). Not sure which one is right for your church or ministry? The answers to a few key questions may help guide your licensing choice.    

1. What type of holiday performances, services, or events will you be streaming?    

2. What types of songs or music will you play during the streaming session?    

3. Does your church use sound recordings during your streaming service?    

Performances Covered     

The WORSHIPcast Streaming License covers live and archived performances of your worship services, programs, and events. So, in addition to your services, you can stream children’s programs and pageants, Christmas concerts, drive-by nativities, handbell performances, and more.   

 The CCLI Streaming License allows podcasting and streaming of worship services only. So, if you plan on streaming just your worship services, the CCLI Streaming License has you covered. However, for the flexibility to engage your congregation by streaming worship services, special events, and guest performances, your church will need the WORSHIPcast License.      

Songs Covered     

The WORSHIPcast Streaming License covers more than 28 million secular and Christian songs across all genres, including popular Christmas carols and children’s songs from the catalogs of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. The CCLI Streaming License covers more than 300,000 Christian songs from the CCLI catalog. If you’re planning on only streaming Christian music, and your church maintains a CCL Copyright License, the CCLI Streaming License is a great fit. If your church or ministry plans to stream any music outside the CCLI catalog, you will need a WORSHIPcast License.     

Sound Recordings or Multitracks    

Many churches enhance their streaming service with master recordings, backing tracks, multitracks, or stems. If this is your church, CCLI’s Streaming Plus can provide you with over 150,000 recordings that can be used anytime throughout your service stream. The WORSHIPcast Streaming License does not offer coverage for sound recordings. Licensing is available from the master recording owner.  

Other Considerations    

The CCLI Streaming License provides coverage to show lyrics for the songs in the CCLI catalog and to stream on social media or other third-party platforms. Unfortunately, no blanket lyric reproduction streaming license for secular music is currently available.    

Ready to start streaming? Click here – coverage is immediate! Questions about streaming? Give us a call at 1-855-576-5837 or email [email protected].     

About CCS:     

CCS is a leading authority on church music copyrights, and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches, as well as representation, administration, and advocacy for copyright owners. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. 

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