Copyright requirements for streaming worship services

[reed.munson]

Hello group -
I would appreciate it if people could share their approaches for using copyright materials in worship livestreams on youtube. Is it basically a matter of reporting what copyright music has been used in a service to the main copyright services, CCLI and OneLicense?

Are copyright attributions required in the description section of the video if it is streamed on youtube?

OneLicense had a helpful discussion on copyright requirements but I have not been able to find any examples of churches actually using their suggested practices.

[myorgan]

Streaming services are not necessarily included in CCLI or OneLicense. Read your agreement regarding what they cover.

A few years back, there was a thread (now closed) about Performance Rights Organizations (PRO) and the legalities of performing a piece. Copyright doesn't necessarily give rights to performance. Check out the thread here: https://organforum.com/forums/forum/...ic-performance.

Michael

[tbeck]

I used to work for a major international music publishing company, and it was generally agreed that churches were the largest committers of copyright infringement.

My mother was the music director of a small southern baptist church and she photocopied works with impunity. I'm sure many churches at least attempt to do the right thing, but many small town amateur church music directors don't even think twice about copying music or performing it in a way which violates the copyright license.

And then there are situations like the now infamous The Door McAllen illegal performance of Hamilton.

[gtc]

Streaming License
An optional coverage designed to enable streaming or podcasting of recorded worship services. The Streaming License provides coverage for nearly 450,000 songs covered under the CCLI Church Copyright License.

Stream or Podcast Services
Post live-recorded worship service on your church’s site or other streaming platform

Relax, You’re Covered
Safe streaming for nearly 450,000 songs covered under the CCLI Church Copyright License

Stream Master Recordings and Multitracks NEW!
Use master recordings and multitracks (e.g. stems, backing tracks, community tracks) to enhance your online church experience.

https://us.ccli.com/streaming-licens...s-of-agreement

[beyerjf]

I do know that when I upload a performance of mine of a popular song on YouTube, they scan the song, inform me that the copyright owner of the song will allow the upload, but I will not be able to monetize it in any way, the copyright owner can.

This topic has become beyond complicated for the average user like me, which probably includes many churches.

[reed.munson]

Here's how we're currently dealing with the issue -
not streaming the prelude or postlude
we have CCLI
we have requested and received permission from almost all publishers listed in our hymnal (Trinity Psalter Hymnal)

The one remaining issue is the offertory. We could have a hymn during offering but if the organist wants to play a traditional offertory, the only music that would be available would be works in the public domain - we don't have OneLicense.

So could the organist play anything from Bach since it's in the public domain? Or do these fall under copyright depending on which book they are published in?

[myorgan]

So could the organist play anything from Bach since it's in the public domain? Or do these fall under copyright depending on which book they are published in?

Anything in the Public Domain is not an issue. We're talking about compositions produced AFTER the 1920s.

Michael

[Leisesturm]

Here's how we're currently dealing with the issue -
not streaming the prelude or postlude
we have CCLI
we have requested and received permission from almost all publishers listed in our hymnal (Trinity Psalter Hymnal)

The one remaining issue is the offertory. We could have a hymn during offering but if the organist wants to play a traditional offertory, the only music that would be available would be works in the public domain - we don't have OneLicense.

So could the organist play anything from Bach since it's in the public domain? Or do these fall under copyright depending on which book they are published in?

Respectfully, I opine that the copyright laws don't apply easily to one off, non-monetized public offerings like your services. I absolutely allow my Prelude and Postlude to stream and be archived!

CCLI only covers the lyrics and we have CCLI as well as a (recent) broadcast license, but our uploads still get dinged on a regular basis, but they are always allowed to stay up. Bach IS in the public domain, but rarely is the organist playing from an Urtext manuscript and in theory the editor of whatever publication they are using could file a complaint, but ... seriously, it ain't gonna happen. Free your organist to be the creative soul they were born to be! I went on vacation for a month and the services from the elapsed time are almost unwatchable. Sorry. Just had to vent. The Organist is quite likely the one musician on the entire Music Team that is a trained musician. It's ironic to cut their contribution from the live stream and/or the Service Archive out of a sense of law abidingness.

I do Mark Hayes arrangements all the time as Preludes and Postludes, and perhaps in theory these would be covered by One License, but ours is a blended service. Fully 1/2 to 2/3 of the music in a service would not be covered because all of the performance licenses you may find are only concerned with protecting the Praise and Worship artists and publishers. If you are not a Megachurch doing this kind of music exclusively you will be paying as much as $1,000/yr. to have a clear conscience and you won't be getting the benefit of any protection since most of your music will not be protected. JMHO.

[regeron]

In my church, the congregational music is either CCLI licensed (including the streaming license) or public domain. Any instrumental music is old enough that there are no performance copyrights.

My question is about all the choir anthems printed over decades by a multitude of publishers. For now, we do those in place of a prelude (before we start livestreaming) or at the end of the service, after the livestreaming has stopped. Because of the diversity of publishers, I don't see how any kind of permission can be granted easily. Some publishers don't even exist by name anymore - either they closed or were bought up by someone else.

[aeolian pat]

Most composers are lucky if their music is even heard more than once. A live stream may be the only time another musician will hear it. Unless one goes to publishers music reading sessions where one is exposed to the most amature drivel printed, you may never hear of most of this stuff. In one yEAR and out the other. If they want your money they WILL ask.