Important Information from the Gospel Music Channel: Gospel Music Channel to Launch GMC HD Nov. 27

ATLANTA (Nov. 2, 2009) – Gospel Music Channel (GMC) announced today that it will launch GMC HD the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 27.

In announcing the new GMC HD channel, Charles Humbard, founder and president of GMC said: “Like sports, no other genre of programming benefits as much from the High Definition experience as music. We have been aggressively producing original content and acquiring programming in high-def for quite some time in preparation for GMC HD. Affiliates and viewers have been asking for GMC in High Definition and the right time has come to provide it. We expect to announce affiliation agreements in time for the launch.”
GMC’s HD launch on Nov. 27 will occur in prime time at 8 PM ET with world HD premiere of Facing the Giants, called “the #1 inspirational movie since Passion of The Christ” followed by the exclusive world premiere of a new original concert featuring Switchfoot (10 PM ET).

Facing the Giants is an action-packed drama about a Christian high school football coach who uses his undying faith to battle the giants of fear and failure. The movie’s soundtrack includes artists who are regularly featured on GMC, including Casting Crowns, Third Day and Bebo Norman and Casting Crowns singer and songwriter Mark Hall will serve as host of the exclusive presentation.
Switchfoot then takes the GMC HD stage at 10 PM ET as the top-selling alternative rock band known for their energetic live shows is captured in a rare, intimate show produced as part of GMC’s signature music series Revealed.

Among the other programming highlights of GMC HD’s first weekend: GMC/GMC HD becomes “America’s Christmas Channel” for the holidays, including world premiere Christmas concerts by gospel/R&B great Ann Nesby (Nov. 29, 8 PM) and the very popular southern gospel group Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Nov. 28, 9 PM) as well as original Christmas concerts featuring MercyMe, Jars of Clay and others.
GMC celebrated its fifth birthday last week (Oct. 30). The recent BETA Research survey of digital cable subscribers that showed GMC to be tied with NFL Network for #1 in overall perceived value was a resounding third-party endorsement of the high value that we deliver to our affiliates and viewers alike.
“Our rapid rate of growth in five short years, particularly the last few, and our growth in consumer value demonstrates that cable operators and their customers desire our family-friendly programming, and now they will be able to enjoy it in High Definition as well,” added Humbard.
GMC (http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com) is the fastest-growing network in television and can be seen in 45 million homes on various cable systems around the country, on DIRECTV on channel 338 and on Verizon FiOS on channel 224.

Dove Award Performers Announced for Live Show on April 23

Gospel Music Channel to Telecast Dove Awards Live Nationwide 8 – 10 p.m. ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 9, 2009 – Steven Curtis Chapman, Natalie Grant, Mary Mary, MercyMe, Third Day, Chris Tomlin and other performers to be announced in a special Dottie Rambo tribute segment are the first performers announced for the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards telecast, according to the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and Gospel Music Channel (GMC).

The Dove Awards (www.DoveAwards.com), Christian and gospel music’s biggest night of the year will take place live on Thursday, April 23, 2009 in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry House and will be broadcast live nationwide on the awards’ exclusive television home, the Gospel Music Channel television network from 8 – 10 p.m. (ET).

The performers confirmed for the show are also nominees for Dove Awards:

Francesca Battistelli

Steven Curtis Chapman

Natalie Grant with special guest Group 1 Crew

Brandon Heath

Mary Mary

MercyMe

Jonathan Nelson

Remedy Drive

Chris Sligh

Tenth Avenue North

Third Day

Chris Tomlin

Dottie Rambo Tribute with surprise guests

Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. Tickets for the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards are currently available at TicketMaster.com. The American Bible Society (www.AmericanBible.org) is the official charity for the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards.

While the awards are the purpose of the show, music performances will definitely share center stage at the Dove Awards, showcasing some of gospel music’s hottest and most diverse artists. In addition to the exclusive live broadcast, Gospel Music Channel will present back-to-back encore broadcasts that night and additional re-airings following. Gospel Music Channel’s rapid growth has made it the fastest growing network in television for the past two years and GMC is now available in 45 million homes in all major markets on the major cable systems as well as on DIRECTV on Channel 338.

Dove Awards will be handed out in 43 categories. For the first time, fans have become stakeholders in the Dove Awards with an opportunity to vote for the winner of two of the night’s biggest awards – Artist of the Year along with New Artist of the Year. Fan voting is open at the Gospel Music Channel website (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) and at www.doveawards.com. The cumulative fan vote, which will continue through the live Dove Awards broadcast, will account for one-third of the total vote in those two categories.

HA!-LLELUJAH: GMC to Launch New Comedy Series Ha!: Standing Up for Clean Comedy March 7

ATLANTA (Feb. 23, 2009) – Family-friendly stand-up, jokes, bits and sketches from the clean comedy scene will be featured in a new Gospel Music Channel television network (http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com) original series called Ha!: Standing Up for Clean Comedy. Ha! will debut as a special on Saturday, March 7 at 8 PM ET/PT and will then be seen as shorts interspersed throughout the GMC schedule.

Ha! will be hosted by comedian/actor Jonathan Slocumb (The Steve Harvey Show, Meet The Browns.) In an era when it is common for comics to use four-letter words and make sexual innuendos, Slocumb is known as "Mr. Clean." He frequently opens for Bill Cosby and has toured with Sinbad. Slocumb has also gained exposure from his role of "Clyde the Slide" on The Steve Harvey Show, and appeared on the popular The Tavis Smiley Show on National Public Radio (NPR) as well as on HBO's DefComedy Jam and PAX's Gospel Fire. Ha! will be the second GMC series Slocumb has hosted; he served as M.C. for season one of Gospel Dream, GMC’s answer to American Idol®.

Ha! will also feature the comedic talents of:

Lisa Alvarado – Chosen as one of the Top 20 "Up and Coming" Latino Talents in Los Angeles, Alvarado has appeared on NBC-TV’s Last Comic Standing, Nick at Nite’s The Search for the Funniest Mom in America 2 and ABC-TV’s "Comics Unleashed.”

Michael Joiner – A 14-year national and international touring headlining comedian whose clean style of clever sarcasm, quick wit, uncanny improv and audience interaction skills has made him a hit wherever he’s played.

Leighann Lord – Voted "The Most Thought Provoking Black Female Comic,” New Yorker Lord has appeared on ABC-TV’s The View, the Original HBO Def Comedy All Star Jam, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and The World Stands Up and Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen.

Horace “HB” Sanders – Former CBS-TV Star Search Comedy Champion of whom Arsenio Hall commented, “Horace is like Sarah Lee, nobody doesn't like him!”

Angel Gaines – This Essence Magazine Clean Comedy Showcase Winner was recently crowned one of the top winners in the CALIFORNIA’S FUNNIEST FEMALE COMPETITION. She has performed throughout the United States and London, England as well being as a featured comic on the hugely popular Tom Joyner Cruise.

Taylor Mason – A wildly popular "G"-rated comedian with his own brand of puppets and ventriloquism using music and stand-up comedy, Mason has played Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, as well as the stages of local comedy clubs.

Ron G. – LA-based comedian best known for his national commercial appearances as well as being the first winner of tvONE network’s comedy competition Who’s Got Jokes.

Ron Baker, Jr. –The son of a preacher, Baker has performed with some of the top artists in Gospel music and captures audiences with wholesome comedy illuminating the “Humor in Reality.”

Gospel Music Channel is the fastest-growing network in television and can be seen in more than 40 million homes on various cable systems around the country and on DIRECTV on channel 338.

for more info visit http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/