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EMI Christian Music Group and Provident Music Group Agree to Provide Certain Exclusive Content and Marketing Support to This Popular Christian Digital Music Service with 180,000 registered members
Former EMI CMG Executive, Mark Adkison to Lead New Venture.
(NASHVILLE) June 2, 2008—Digital media company Spinnaker Media LLC is acquiring the assets of HearItFirst.com – the digital Christian music discovery website – from EMI Christian Music Group (EMI CMG); the company that created and developed the site. As part of Spinnaker, HearItFirst.com will operate as a stand-alone, independent digital music service serving Christian music fans. Future plans are to eventually expand the site into other music genres.
Since EMI CMG launched the site in 2005, HearItFirst.com has become a popular Internet music discovery destination, with more than 180,000 members who have registered for access to previews, videos and in-depth, exclusive content from major label, independent and unsigned bands. Membership includes a weekly newsletter with free music downloads, exclusive audio and video previews of pre-release music releases, artist interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from live events. The site’s unique, versatile, fresh and timely content generates 600,000 visits a month and more than 1.4 million monthly page views.
Spinnaker, whose current holdings including Propeller Consulting, Documentary Channel, InternetSafety.com and Famplosion!, takes on management of the site with agreements in place from both EMI Christian Music Group and Sony BMG Entertainment’s Provident Music Group for these labels to provide support to the site with exclusive content and various marketing initiatives. The site will be led by newly appointed President and Founder, Mark Adkison, formerly EMI Christian Music Group’s Vice President of Digital Strategy and Development. Jamie Wilson, HearItFirst.com’s current site manager, will also join Adkison in the new venture as Director of Content at their new offices located on Nashville’s historic Music Row.
“I am very excited about adding HearItFirst.com to the Spinnaker Media family,” said Spinnaker Media Founder and Hear It First LLC Chairman, James J. Ackerman. “I am enthusiastic about the future of the brand and in Mark’s ability to develop this brand inside of EMI to this point. We will continue to expand our efforts to reach fans while working with established and new artists, managers and labels to deliver a unique experience that creates a best-in-class brand that delivers on the promise of the brand: to hear, watch and experience music, before it’s available elsewhere,
“Spinnaker has a unique combination of digital acumen, resources and understanding of the marketplace to be the natural home for HearItFirst.com,” said Bill Hearn, CEO of EMI Christian Music Group. “Their continued investment and commitment into building upon HearItFirst’s solid audience base is exciting. We think it’s great for fans who are hungry to discover more about their favorite artists and to learn about new talent, and it’s a fantastic way for artists to build and attract new audiences.. As one of HearItFirst’s growing number of content partners, EMI CMG looks forward to working with Spinnaker Media and Mark on the continued development of the business.”
“Hearitfirst.com is a unique music destination. Not only is it a place for fans to discover and enjoy the latest music, its mission is perfectly aligned with our calling. Moreover, having spent considerable time with the leaders of Hear It First in recent weeks, I have grown to admire their vision and am convinced that their future is bright. Provident is proud to support hearitfirst.com. We are looking forward to a successful long-term partnership,” said Jim Colella, Vice President, Digital & Interactive, Provident Label Group.
“We are very excited about expanding what we’ve started with EMI Christian Music Group and artists like Jon Foreman, David Crowder Band, tobymac, Chris Tomlin and Switchfoot,” noted Adkison. ”Additionally, we’re enthused about formalizing our already strong partnership with Provident Music Group and its artist roster which includes Dove and GRAMMY nominated/winning artists like Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Red, Krystal Meyers and Leeland. The strength of the combined rosters adds to the site’s breadth of coverage and creates an expansive fan experience like no other in the business,”
HearItFirst.com is also continuing its focus on new and independent artists through its ever-expanding section, ‘Indiescovery’ (http://hearitfirst.com/indiescovery) which currently houses over 450 independent and unsigned bands from around the country. Indiescovery provides exposure and unique opportunities for bands to learn about the music ‘from the pros’ and unique contests where HearItFirst.com site members vote their favorite bands to perform at Christian Music festivals like Creation Northeast and Northwest, GMA in the Rockies as well as unique one on one learning with professional bands like Casting Crowns.
About Spinnaker Media:
Spinnaker Media LLC was founded February 2005 by James J Ackerman to serve as a holding company through which new media companies are acquired and developed. Each company in the Spinnaker Media family is in the business of producing or distributing quality entertainment, educational and/or digital media products and services. Ackerman is a seasoned executive with experience worldwide leading advanced media companies. Today, Spinnaker Media holdings include stakes in Propeller Consulting (www.propellerconsulting.net), Documentary Channel (www.documentarychannel.com), InternetSafety.com, Famplosion (www.famplosion.com), and Hear It First (www.hearitfirst.com).
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