Provident Distribution and Integrity Music Group, a division of Integrity Media, Inc., announced today that they have entered into an agreement to jointly serve the Christian retail market through Provident’s distribution organization which will be renamed Provident-Integrity Distribution.  The newly named entity will begin distributing releases to the Christian retail market beginning January 1, 2005.

Integrity-owned and associated labels participating in the agreement include Integrity Music, INO Records, Hosanna! Music, Integrity Gospel, Vertical Music, Integrity Just For Kids and Hillsong Music Australia.  In addition, Provident-Integrity Distribution will distribute Provident-owned labels Essential Records, Reunion Records, Beach Street Records, Praise Hymn Soundtracks, Brentwood Music and Benson Records as well as non-owned labels and groups currently distributed by agreement with Provident Distribution.

Concurrent with the announcement of this agreement, Integrity Music Group and Sony-BMG’s Epic Records have extended a worldwide arrangement first established in 1997 through which Epic markets and distributes releases from a wide array of Integrity-owned and associated labels to mainstream retail outlets while Integrity markets and distributes Epic’s Christian releases to the Christian marketplace.

“We are delighted to be forming this new relationship with Integrity in an effort to better serve the needs of Christian retail,” commented Terry Hemmings, President and CEO of Provident Music Group.  “This is a giant step forward for our company and positions Provident-Integrity Distribution to offer more sales representation, better service and combined marketing synergies to the Christian marketplace.  Integrity and INO bring valuable ideas as well as terrific artists and products that will be a great compliment to our current roster of owned and distributed labels.”

Jerry Weimer, President, Integrity Music Group and Chief Operating Officer/Executive VP, Integrity Media Inc., notes, “Mike Coleman, President and CEO of Integrity Media Inc., and our entire team are thrilled with this exciting new venture which we hope will continue to grow the Christian retail market and better serve the needs of Christian retailers.  Provident’s Terry Hemmings, Mike Craft and Don Noes have shown a very strong commitment to the Christian retail community and a passion for the mission.  Their many strengths in marketing, sales and distribution will highly compliment Integrity’s mission as we move forward.”

Weimer continues, “I am happy to become part of this new venture as are Jeff Moseley, President of INO Records, and Danny McGuffey, Chief Marketing Officer, Integrity Media Inc., as we guide this new entity to better serve the needs of Christian retail.  Over the years we have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Word and we thank them for all of their hard work and dedication.”

Provident-Integrity Distribution will be home to some of the industry’s leading artists and brands across a broad spectrum of genres including Michael W. Smith, MercyMe, CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, iWorship, Third Day, Mary Mary, Casting Crowns, Darlene Zschech, Jars of Clay, Chris Rice, Fred Hammond, Songs 4 Worship, BarlowGirl, Donnie McClurkin, Don Moen, Gotta Have Gospel, Cedarmont Kids, Israel and New Breed among many others.

“Integrity’s commitment to their mission of ‘helping people worldwide experience the manifest presence of God,’ coupled with Provident Distribution’s continued commitment to serving the church through Christian retail, puts our combined companies’ strengths at the forefront in a market where we see God impacting culture through this world-class music,” states Don Noes, Sr. VP of Sales and Distribution for Provident Distribution. 

Noes continues, “Provident’s titles and artists have consistently been among the industry leaders on year-end charts and maintain a very high scans-per-title average.  "With the added strength of Integrity Label Group and INO's outstanding artistry in all genres of music, we believe that our combined product offering, distribution marketing and customer service will enhance the impact of Christian retail upon its local community.  We are excited for the immense opportunity that lies ahead for Provident-Integrity Distribution.”

Retailers will receive a letter of instruction in the next few weeks which will outline the transition process between Word Distribution and Provident-Integrity Distribution.

Integrity Media, Inc. is a media/communications company that produces, publishes and distributes Christian music, books, films and related products.  It is a producer and publisher of products that facilitate a Christian lifestyle.  Integrity's products are sold primarily through retail stores and direct to consumers throughout the United States and in 168 other countries.  Integrity is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama.  Information about Integrity is available at www.integritymedia.com.

Provident Distribution is a division of Provident Music Group, one of the world’s top Christian music companies.  Provident Distribution currently serves record labels including Beach Street Records, Benson Records, Brentwood Records, Cedar Partners, Cedarmont Kids, Creative Trust Workshop, Cross Movement Records, Essential Records, Fervent Records, Gospo Centric/B-Rite, Here To Him Music, Maranatha!, New Haven, Praise Hymn, Reunion Records, Rocketown Records, Spirit-Led Records, Verity Records, Wind-up Records, and BMG Label Group.