What would happen if a Christian media network offered to distribute streaming video content of churches and ministries to national and local audiences, at “no cost?”
The idea would be to create a syndication network with the capability of delivering video content to any device and media platform, “free” to the content provider.
A free live video streaming channel for content publishers. A free unlimited on-demand gospel experience for users.
Could a free high-quality video streaming model work on a regional market basis?
Let’s take a look at five reasons why that idea could work for the gospel.
Ignite a renaissance in local religious broadcasting. The next generation of communicators is using digital media, primarily video. A national network of local digital video channels, in partnership with local media pros, would give innovative churches and ministries a cost-effective way to bring their messages into distant regional markets.
Provide a transition path from traditional to digital media. Streaming local terrestrial audio signals is not winning the online relevance war. New streaming, cloud services are changing how people discover, listen to, view and share content. Fresh high-quality video gospel content that is regularly updated and added to could be the innovation and differentiation local broadcasters are looking for to build a digital future.
Expose larger numbers online to the gospel. Holy Spirit inspired, life changing, community-driven video content will attract viewers. Users are watching the gospel online in record numbers now, as we reported on Monday. The mass audience is available and they continue to watch more videos. According to Comscore, a growing 180 million U.S. Internet users engaged in a record 6.9 billion viewing sessions in July 2011. And each user watched an average of 18.5 hours of online video content.
Offer patrons (sponsors and/or donors) the privilege of creating digital platforms. A significant portion of the money needed to sustain commercial Christian radio and television comes from national media ministries paying for airtime. The cost of distributing video is getting cheaper by the day. If those savings were passed on to gospel communicators, I think Christian business leaders would be ready to step-up and help revolutionize how local media ministry is carried out in the U.S. And while they’re at it, establish a new digital advertising medium. The time is right. Video ads reached 49 percent of the total U.S. population an average of 35.9 times during July 2011.
Removes another barrier to full-time digital ministry. The enemy works non-stop at building barriers — cost, complexity, staffing, lethargy, or whatever — between those that deliver the gospel and those that need to hear it. We are to “Remove whatever the enemy is using to blind them and keep them from trusting Christ.” Collaborating to provide live streaming video free to ministries could smash through one of those walls.
Can streaming video syndication of the gospel succeed if it relies on generating financial support primarily from patrons rather than pastors? Oh yes! It can! And a team of talented and dedicated professionals is working together to give the breakthrough idea life.
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. Isaiah 55:11