The Pros & Cons of Funeral Webcasting

Modern technology enables anyone with a web camera and a computer, or a video-enabled phone or tablet, to easily shoot and share his or her videos on the Internet, whether streamed live or uploaded post-recording. Not surprisingly, many funeral homes now use this same technology to broadcast funeral services online in real time. This article offers the pros and cons of webcasting a funeral to help you decide if this service is right for you and your family.

Advantages of Funeral Webcasting

• Broadcasting a funeral service over the Internet enables family members, friends and loved ones to attend the service virtually if they cannot physically travel to the funeral due to financial, geographic, physical or other challenges.

• Funeral webcasts can be saved to a CD or DVD, which provides a permanent record of the service that, in time, some mourners might wish to view again.

• For those who simply cannot attend the physical funeral service, or even watch it as it is streamed online in real time, funeral webcasts can be accessed and viewed later.

• Online funeral broadcasts can incorporate a real-time “chat” component, enabling remote viewers to communicate with each other during the service to express condolences, or even to speak to those physically attending the funeral, if appropriate.

• A funeral webcast might encourage someone to “attend” (virtually) who might otherwise not participate at all, for whatever reason.

• Attending a funeral service, even virtually, is better than not participating at all in terms of supporting the grieving family and, for the virtual attendee, acknowledging and accepting the reality a loved one has died.

Disadvantages of Funeral Webcasting

• Many people already seek a reason to skip a wake/visitation and/or funeral service, and a funeral webcast might offer a convenient excuse not to physically attend.

• While funeral webcasts typically provide a method to keep such broadcasts private using password-access and secure servers, families might feel concerned about the security of this highly personal event, as well as viewing by unauthorized individuals.

• While some funeral homes provide funeral webcasting at no charge, others charge the family a fee (typically around $150 to $200 for the service), adding to the overall cost of the funeral. In addition, the fee generally includes 30 to 90 days of video access after the funeral service, but requires an additional fee for online access beyond that period.

• Some people, whether among the immediate family or other survivors, might consider broadcasting a funeral service on the Internet disrespectful or in poor taste.