Christian Retailing

Gospel singer Timothy Wright dies Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 27 April 2009 02:45 PM America/New_York

altA memorial service is planned May 4 for Timothy Wright, a pastor known as "the Godfather of Gospel Music," who died April 23 in a New York hospital, according to the Associated Press. He was 61.

Wright, founding pastor of Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Brooklyn, N.Y., had been seriously injured in a July 4, 2008, car accident that killed his wife, Betty Wright, and their 14-year-old grandson, D.J.

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Religious book sales decrease sharply Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 27 April 2009 03:02 PM America/New_York
altSales of religious books saw a significant decrease of 19% in February, as all book categories slipped 12% for the month, according to the Association of American Publishers.

The month's sales for religious books were $44.3 million, and the category's sales were down by 12.1% for the year. Sales of religious books previously decreased 9%, 9%, 25.6%, 11.8% and 10.8% in January, last November, October, September and August, respectively.

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No repeat for ECPA book show Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 27 April 2009 03:09 PM America/New_York
altThe Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has decided not to repeat its consumer-focused Christian Book Expo (CBE), following the event's failed debut in March.

The group is also going to ask members to help it meet an estimated $250,000 shortfall on the three-day event at the Dallas Convention Center, where total attendance was a tenth of the 15,000 that had been projected. More than 60 publishers and suppliers took part in the March 19-22 program that included workshops, debates and opportunities for visitors--who paid admission--to buy books.

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GMA Special Awards Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Friday, 24 April 2009 11:40 AM America/New_York
altThe Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced the recipients of the 2009 GMA Special Awards.

Premier Productions was recognized with the 2009 Impact Award for the Winter Jam tour, which started with an event in January 1990 featuring NewSong. The 2009 tour averaged 10,000 people a night and drew more than 335,000 people in 35 cities nationwide. The evangelistic tour had an estimated 69,700 young people receive Christ, GMA said. The Impact Award is presented to the non-artist individual or organization that has made the most significant impact in the gospel music industry in the last two or three years.

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Radio stations of the year named Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Friday, 24 April 2009 11:49 AM America/New_York
altThe Gospel Music Association (GMA) has announced the winners of the 2009 GMA/Christian Music Broadcasters Radio Station of the Year contest. Awards were given to major, large, medium and small market stations.

The winner in the major market category was WPOZ in Orlando, Fla., while WMHK in Columbia, S.C., won the large market category. The winner in the medium market category was WRCM in Charlotte, N.C., while WLAB in Fort Wayne, Ind., won the small market category.

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Chapman earns top honors at Doves Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Friday, 24 April 2009 12:00 PM America/New_York
altSteven Curtis Chapman won Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year during last night's 40th Annual Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards, capping an emotional year for the most decorated singer and songwriter in Christian music.

Chapman, who was named Artist of the Year for the seventh time, has collected five GRAMMY Awards and 56 Doves in his two-decade career. His 5-year-old daughter, Maria Sue, was killed last May when she was accidentally hit by a vehicle driven by her older brother in the driveway of the family's home in Nashville.

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Retailers Choice Awards voting under way Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Thursday, 23 April 2009 02:09 PM America/New_York
altRetailers, it is time to name your favorite products of the year, in Christian Retailing's 2009 Retailers Choice Awards. This is your opportunity to vote for the products that you believe made the greatest impact on your life, and the lives of your staff and customers.

Voting also puts you in line to win hundreds of dollars' worth of nominated products, absolutely free-to sell in your store, distribute or keep for yourself. You could win products such as inspirational mugs from DaySpring or an ESV Study Bible from Crossway. Winners will be selected at random from participating stores.

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Thousands download free TNIV on Kindle Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Thursday, 23 April 2009 02:31 PM America/New_York
altZondervan is reporting more than 7,000 free downloads of the Today's New International Version (TNIV) Kindle edition in the first two weeks since the company began offering the digital Bible version April 4. The promotion will continue through June.

Compatible with Amazon's Kindle book reader, the digital TNIV has risen to No. 36 on the Amazon Kindle charts, followed at No. 37 by Crossway Books & Bibles' English Standard Version Bible--also a free download. Baker Publishing Group is also offering the Bible in God's Word Translation as a free download.

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