Motown Records and EMI Gospel partner for greater crossover potential

Motown Records and EMI Gospel have formed a joint venture partnership with the creation of the new Motown Gospel label. 

The first signing to Motown Gospel was GRAMMY winner CeCe Winans, whose new album is slated for early 2014. Along with Winans, the label will release albums this year by Tye Tribbett (Greater Than, June 4), Karen Clark Sheard and Smokie Norful. 

“UMG’s [Universal Music Group] acquisition of EMI Music offered the ideal opportunity to merge the EMI Gospel label with the strength of the newly revitalized Motown Records,” said Barry Weiss, chairman and CEO of UMG East Coast Label Group. “The new Motown Gospel label will offer broader urban AC crossover potential and further opportunities and synergy between Motown Gospel artists and the Motown and Island Def Jam (IDJ) urban roster.” 

Bill Hearn, president and CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group, added: “I’ve been a huge fan of Barry Weiss for years. Through his leadership of the Verity Label in the past, he’s been responsible for much of the growth and artist development in gospel music today. I can’t wait to partner with Barry, Motown through A&R collaboration, and promotion and marketing support from Steve Bartels and the amazing IDJ team. I’m confident Motown Gospel will now be even more effective at connecting our artists with their fans and growing their fan base.” 

Motown Gospel will headed by EMI Gospel President Ken Pennell, who will report to Hearn. Hearn reports directly to Capitol Music Group Chairman and CEO Steve Barnett. GRAMMY Award-winning songwriter/producer Aaron Lindsey, whose production credits include Marvin Sapp’s No. 1 gospel crossover hit “Never Would Have Made It,”  has been appointed vice president of A&R at Motown Gospel. 

The new label was officially launched April 2 at the Arc Theatre in Los Angeles with a gala press reception and artist showcase, featuring performances by Norful, Tribbett, Tasha Cobbs and Kierra Sheard. 

The Motown Gospel roster includes  Stellar Award-winning artists VaShawn Mitchell, Anita Wilson, Pastor Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago.

U.S. Supreme Court decision ‘creates rights issues and pricing challenges’ for publishing houses selling abroad

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that books and other content goods made and sold abroad can be resold online and in discount stores without violating U.S. copyright law.  

In a 6-3 opinion March 19, the court threw out a copyright infringement award to publisher John Wiley & Sons against Thai graduate student Supap Kirtsaeng, who used eBay to resell copies in the U.S. of the publisher’s copyrighted books that his relatives first bought abroad at cut-rate prices, Associated Press (AP) reported.

“We are disappointed that [the] copyright decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ignores broader issues critical to America’s ability to compete in the global marketplace,” said Tom Allen, president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers (AAP). “The decision will have significant ramifications for Americans who produce the books, music, movies and other content consumed avidly around the world. 

“The court’s interpretation of the ‘first sale’ provision of U.S. copyright law will discourage the active export of U.S. copyrighted works,” Allen added. 

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association President and CEO Mark Kuyper told Christian Retailing that the ruling presents a cause for concern.

“I think this ruling specifically and immediately creates rights issues and pricing challenges on English-language editions for publishers,” he said. “However, it underscores the long-term challenges that may be coming down the road regarding global rights in a digital world.   

Rocky Gilmore, chief operating officer of Group Publishing, said the Loveland, Colo.-based company “does not see the ruling as having a significant impact on our international publishing efforts.” 

“However, we generally agree with the concerns voiced by the AAP that current copyright law has not kept pace with the globalization of our industry or the impact of the Internet,” he said.

In his opinion, Justice Stephen Breyer said that once goods are sold lawfully, whether in the U.S. or elsewhere, publishers and manufacturers lose the protection of U.S. copyright law, AP reported.

“We hold that the `first sale’ doctrine applies to copies of a copyrighted work lawfully made abroad,” Breyer wrote.

The ruling was a major victory for eBay, Costco and other businesses that trade in products made outside the U.S., AP reported.

“To quote Justice Ginsburg’s dissenting opinion, the divided ruling is a ‘bold departure’ from Congress’ intention ‘to protect copyright owners against the unauthorized importation of low-priced, foreign-made copies of their copyrighted works’ that is made ‘more stunning’ by its conflict with current U.S. trade policy,” Allen said. “AAP expects that Congress will likely consider whether the impact of the court’s divided ruling on the ability of U.S. producers to effectively compete in global markets requires legislative clarification.”

Jossey-Bass, which publishes some religious and spiritual titles, is an imprint of Wiley. 

Forbes.com contributor Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, said the decision was “a major victory for American consumers because it allows them to shop worldwide for their copyrighted content.”

Cincinnati-based publisher plans to refocus on church resources as brand’s acquisition is called ‘a win for both companies’

Standard Publishing Group, a division of CFM Religion Publishing Group, has sold the Rainbow Study Bible brand to B&H Publishing Group. In a refocus on its core strengths, the Cincinnati-based curriculum publisher is also significantly refreshing its HeartShapers Sunday school curriculum.

“This is a win for both companies,” said CFM Publishing CEO and President Peter M. Esposito. “At Standard, we are aligning our focus to our core strengths, to be the leading provider of church resources, including adult and children’s curriculum and special programming like Vacation Bible School. B&H has expertise in Bible publishing, and this adds a best-seller to their existing portfolio.”

A best-selling Bible since 1995, the Rainbow Study Bible has sold more than a million copies. It features a color-coding system that allows readers to quickly and easily identify 12 major Scripture themes throughout the text: God, discipleship, love, faith, sin, evil, salvation, family, outreach, commandments, history and prophecy. The system also underlines all words directly spoken by God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Describing the B&H team as “thrilled” with the acquisition that was seen to strengthen its Holman Bible Publishers brand, B&H President Selma Wilson said: “We are intentionally grounded in God’s Word at B&H, so to officially add this powerful resource to our publishing program is exciting. We have a great history with the Spanish edition and have seen how this product speaks into peoples’ lives. B&H is grateful to our friends at Standard for their stewardship of this resource over the years, and we look forward to growing and managing the Rainbow Study Bible for many years to come.”

At press time, B&H said the company planned to sell Standard’s remaining English editions of the Rainbow Study Bible inventory to retail partners within 30 days. 

In summer 2014, B&H will introduce updated editions in English and Spanish translations. B&H has published the Reina-Valera Revision (RVR) edition in Spanish since 1996.

In another sign of the company’s refocus, Standard is embarking on a significant refresh to its HeartShapers toddler-to-preteen curriculum, the first major revision in nearly seven years. The program has six age-appropriate levels with teacher guides and student materials. New fall curriculum releases July 1.

“We’ve conducted some research and through significant work with children’s pastors, we’ve made the teacher guides much more user-friendly,” said Stephanie Woeste, vice president of marketing. “We’ve completely updated the artwork in the books, primarily focused on the student books, and it’s very exciting because we’ve used nationally recognized artists from books like National Geo Kids, Weekly Reader and things that folks recognize, so it has a contemporary look and feel.” 

One of the significant components of the refreshed program is the special-needs-friendly curriculum.

“Every quarter we publish a free, 15-page newsletter that has a couple components to it,” Woeste said. “First of all, there’s an inspirational component for leaders, but it’s also a way to easily adapt the lessons within the HeartShapers age levels to help include children of special needs in our classrooms. So, it really focuses on what are the sensory difficulties that children with special needs may have and how to overcome those with the activities and the lessons.” 

Additionally, teachers were asking for an editable teacher guide so they could make each lesson their own, allowing churches to customize the lessons. 

“We’ll be offering downloadable teacher guides in Word format that they can then make their touches to and distribute to their volunteers,” Woeste said.

‘Your Mission. Our Mission. Impacting Eternity’ aims to ‘capture the essence’ of the veteran Christian products distributor

Anchor Distributors has announced a new company tag line: Your Mission. Our Mission. Impacting Eternity. 

Earlier this year, Anchor, the sister company of Whitaker House, held a contest for employees to help create a motto “that would capture the essence of who we are and what we do,” said John Whitaker, vice president of Pennsylvania-based Anchor Distributors. “The winning phrase is actually a combination of two different employee submissions.” 

While embracing the future, the motto also underscores the legacy of Whitaker Corp. founder Robert E. “Bob” Whitaker Sr., who died in May 2012. 

“In the mid-1960s, as my dad was searching for answers to life. He was led to God through reading Christian books,” Whitaker said. “He was so passionate about his new life of faith that he started giving books away to as many people as he could. That is why I am here today, and why my family is following Christ, by the grace of God.”

“The impact of Christian literature on just one life changed countless generations for all eternity,” Whitaker added. “We’re hoping in some way, this new tag line will be a reminder to all we come in contact with at Anchor.”

Books with Blink logo designed to deliver ‘impactful reads that provide empowering messages’ for YA readers

Zondervan is launching a new book imprint to better reach young adults with compelling literature—and counter some of the negative themes in general market YA literature.

From fantasy to romance and contemporary classics, Blink aims to appeal to teen readers and a growing audience of adult readers who are taking in general market literature such as “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight” series.

Starting in August, the imprint aims to “publish authentic and immersive content that engages and inspires readers with cutting-edge plotlines,” a company statement read.

“While reports have young adults glued to their smartphones and devices for hours every day, ultimately they still love great stories,” said Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher at Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “Blink will provide great content that reflects their attitudes and enhances their lives.”

With Blink, the company sees “an opportunity to deliver impactful reads that provide empowering messages,”
Bourland added.

The company’s vice president of marketing, Chriscynethia Floyd, said that Blink is “about delivering a relevant reading experience in a way that mirrors the young adult reader’s lifestyle.”

Some titles already in Zondervan’s offerings are being transferred to the Blink imprint. Heather Burch’s first title of the “Halflings” series was already published under Zondervan and now falls under Blink’s purview. Book two of the series, Guardian, releasing in September. The series gets its title from characters who are half-human and half-angel, and focuses on the battle between the forces of heaven and hell. 

Robert Treskillar’s “Merlin’s Spiral” series reimagines the myths surrounding Merlin of King Arthur’s Court. The second title comes out in October.

Some of the other Blink titles are Running Lean by Diana L. Sharples, a coming-of-age story releasing in August, and Remnants: Season of Wonder, the first in a dystopian series coming in October from popular CBA market author Lisa T. Bergren.

Blink authors and their titles will benefit from a dedicated marketing program that includes extensive social media outreach, advertising and sharing custom content across online and mobile media sources. This fall Zondervan will launch “an impressive six figure marketing budget to establish the imprint and the titles,” Floyd said.

Along with a dedicated website (www.blinkyabooks.com), Blink will connect with these readers through Facebook (www.facebook.com/blinkyabooks), Twitter (@blinkyabooks), Tumblr (www.blinkyabooks.tumblr.com) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/blinkyabooks). 

Blink titles will be available in print and e-book formats.

Industry veteran Dan Balow to take lead for the Ohio-based publisher to ‘make one of Barbour’s strengths even stronger’

Barbour Publishing has formed a dedicated in-house fiction team. Fiction is one of strongest categories for the Uhrichsville, Ohio-based company, known for its value-priced books. 

The newly established team consists of Publisher and Vice President of Business Development Dan Balow; Editorial Director Kelly McIntosh; Senior Fiction Editor Rebecca Germany; and Annie Tipton—recently promoted from managing editor to fiction acquisitions editor. In Tipton’s new role, she will be responsible for developing and implementing Barbour’s fiction strategy and acquiring new titles. 

“Fiction is very important to Barbour,” Balow said. “In fact, it accounts for over a third of our annual sales. Creating this fiction team and promoting Annie Tipton to the role of acquisitions editor will give us the vision and resources to make one of Barbour’s strengths even stronger. Rebecca Germany guided fiction to where we are today. This team will work together to make it even more successful.”

Barbour’s fiction authors include Wanda E. Brunstetter, Mary Connealy, Olivia Newport, Cathy Weinke and Yvonne Lehman. Sales of Brunstetter’s Amish-fiction titles with Barbour have topped 4 million copies.

Video release follows program’s run in March as the highest-rated cable show of the year

Following its run in March as the highest-rated cable show of the year, The Bible miniseries, has become the fastest pre-selling, faith-based title in 60 years, according to CBA.  

Released on DVD and Blu-ray April 2 by Twentieth Century Fox (Provident Distribution), The Bible has sold 525,000 units in its first week of release, becoming the top-selling TV program on DVD in the last five years and the best-selling miniseries ever on Blu-ray, digital HD and DVD. 

Survivor creator Mark Burnett and his actress wife, Roma Downey, of Touched by an Angel fame, produced the miniseries of major Bible stories. It aired Sundays in March on the History Channel—culminating on Easter, March 31. 

“We are humbled by the overwhelming response from audiences to The Bible miniseries,” Downey and Burnett said. “First, the show was No. 1 on History, now it is No. 1 on Blu-ray and DVD, and has been No. 1 in every country in which it aired. … It is our hope that folks everywhere will continue to be touched by the message of the Bible and cherish these stories at home with their families and friends for years to come.”

Watched by 95 million cumulative viewers on the History Channel, The Bible also ranked No. 1 across digital stores, including iTunes, Amazon, VUDU, Xbox, PlayStation, CinemaNow and GooglePlay.