Easter Programming and Copyright Confusion

March 14, 2019

6 Common Mistakes Churches Make When Planning Easter Programs

We know that A LOT goes into planning an Easter production for your church or ministry. And with all the moving parts, it’s easy to let things like copyright clearances fall by the wayside. Of course, you and your church want to honor copyrights – but sometimes it can all be just a little too confusing. To make it a little easier, we’ve identified some common mistakes churches make when planning Easter programs that can greatly increase risks of infringement.

Mistake #1: Assume Your Church is Covered Under the Religious Service Exemption

The religious service exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law  (Section 110[3]) is probably the most important part of the law for churches, because it provides states that you do not have to get permission from the copyright owner or pay royalties to perform music or display the lyrics of a work in a religious service. This applies to the “performance” and “display” rights, which are only two of the six rights of the copyright owner.

The exemption does NOT apply to the exclusive rights of the copyright owner to:

1) REPRODUCE (make a duplicate or copy) a copyrighted work;

2) DISTRIBUTE the work;

3) Make a DERIVATIVE work (like a translation or arrangement) or;

4) PERFORM a digital sound recording (through digital transmission on the Internet).

It’s also critical to note that it does NOT cover activity outside your religious service. Remember the exemption only applies “…in the course of services at a place of worship or other religious assembly”

Mistake #2 – Fail to Learn the Basics of Copyrights 101

There are three building blocks that are essential for Christian leaders to understand which blanket licenses you need and what they cover:

  1. What is a copyright, and what works and rights do the U.S. Copyright Law protect?
  2. What are the creative works that can be copyrighted?
  3. What are the exclusive rights of copyright owners and how do they impact the church’s use of copyrighted material?

Once you have a grasp on the building blocks you will be prepared to begin your journey towards copyright compliance.

Mistake # 3 – Forget to PLAN for Copyright Compliance

The key to copyright compliance is organizing and having a PLAN:

  1. Prepare a list of all the details for each copyrighted work you plan on using for each program or event. Budget for royalties and license fees. You can include this list in your creative program checklist;
  2. Learn the basics of the Copyright Law or let a copyright professional help with research and licenses;
  3. Allow enough time to research and obtain permission, usually 3-4 weeks for Christian music and up to 12 weeks for secular;
  4. Never use copyright material without permission or exemption. If you don’t have permission, then find another way of creatively expressing your ideas. Perhaps one of your team members can write a new song to fit the concept you’re developing.

Mistake #4 – Assume One License Covers Everything

One of the biggest mistakes churches make is assuming that one church blanket license covers every type of copyrighted work and any way they want to use it. Here’s a great example:

The CCLI Church License covers more than 300,000 Christian songs and allow churches to reproduce, duplicate or copy those songs for various different congregational singing activities. They offer optional add-on streaming and rehearsal licensing.

Churches often think that this license allows them to perform or those songs in bookstores, coffee shops or at a concert. It does NOT. But it’s important to understand what each blanket license covers by considering the following critical questions:

  1. What type of copyright is covered in the license?
  2. What type of right(s) is authorized by the license? There are six different exclusive rights that the copyright owner has and the right to reproduce is only one.
  3. What group or catalog of copyrights is included in each license?
  4. What specific uses or activities are included in the license?

Most churches greatly benefit from having multiple blanket licenses in place. Simplify and maximize your “pre-approved” licensing coverage by putting together a mosaic of these licenses for optimum coverage.

Mistake #5 – Not Maximizing Blanket Licenses

Annual blanket licenses are the easiest and most cost-effective way to provide coverage for many of your activities that use copyrighted material. Many church leaders make the mistake of not fully utilizing all of the licenses especially created for churches and ministries. One of the great features of blanket licenses is that you can sign up online and obtain immediate coverage for any of your programs or activities.

Mistake #6 – Fail to Communicate Church Copyright Policies and Procedures

It’s the responsibility of church leaders to communicate copyright compliance policies and procedure with all of their employees and volunteers. This will probably take time and many discussions to formulate specific policies, but clear communication of expectations is the key. Remember…copyright compliance is a process and it takes time, but you can start by targeting the key areas where there may currently be risks and liabilities in your church activities, especially on your websites.

It’s really important to do a comprehensive evaluation of what copyrights you’re using before you can really optimize the various licensing solutions. If you’re feeling a little lost and you’re not sure how to evaluate how your church is doing right now, contact us via live chat or give us a call at (877) 394-5566 to set up a FREE 20-minute consultation.

About Christian Copyright Solutions: CCS’s quest is to help churches and Christian ministries “do music right.”  CCS is an expert on church music copyrights and our primary focus is providing licensing and clear educational resources to churches. Follow us onTwitter, Facebook, Instagram, andYoutube. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.

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