The media-focused apostolate announces changes to its video strategy in light of YouTube policy changesNEWS PROVIDED BY
Word on Fire Catholic MinistriesApril 13, 2021
IRVING, Texas, April 13, 2021 /
Christian Newswire/ -- For more than a decade, Bishop Robert Barron's Word on Fire Catholic Ministries has used social media to draw people into or back to the Church. The ministry is perhaps best known online for its YouTube videos. Word on Fire uploaded its first video on February 10, 2007, and since then, its YouTube channel has attracted over 400,000 subscribers and 75 million views.
Throughout the past fourteen years, the ministry has purposefully resisted allowing advertisements to run on its YouTube videos. The ministry preferred to share interruption-free content and to avoid the appearance of profiteering from the Gospel, especially as a non-profit apostolate.
Recently however, YouTube announced a change to their advertising policy which now requires that all YouTube channels allow ad placement on their videos. Opting out of YouTube's advertising structure is no longer an option. Ads will begin appearing on most or all of Word on Fire's YouTube videos.
Given this reality, Word on Fire has decided to join YouTube's Partner Program. This means Word on Fire will now receive revenue sharing from ads on its videos—revenue which flows directly to the 501c3 non-profit ministry, not to any individual at Word on Fire. The Partner Program also allows the ministry some control over the ads appearing on its videos, including the ability to decline objectionable ads which violate moral propriety or the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Unfortunately, this means viewers will now see ads on many of Word on Fire's YouTube videos. However, YouTube does offer an ad-free subscription service, and Word on Fire is continuing to explore new ways to share our videos ad-free, including on other video platforms.
As a leader in the work of digital evangelization, Word on Fire remains committed to proclaiming Christ in the culture, despite risks and challenges that inevitably arise amidst this exciting work.
Word on Fire Catholic Ministries (wordonfire.org) exists to support the evangelization efforts of Bishop Robert Barron by drawing people into the Body of Christ, which is the Church, and thereby give them access to all the gifts that Jesus wants his people to enjoy. To be most effective in this mission, Word on Fire places an emphasis and urgency on the use of contemporary forms of media and innovative communication technologies.
SOURCE Word on Fire Catholic Ministries
CONTACT: Will Sipling, Communications Director, 866-928-1237,
communications@wordonfire.orgRelated Links
https://www.wordonfire.org/
