Mobile-based Integrity Media sold its flagship Integrity Music label and assets June 1, citing extreme change in the consumer market as the reason for the sale.
Integrity Music — home to Christian artists Paul Baloche, Lincoln Brewster, John Mark McMillan, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and others — went to David C. Cook, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., for an undisclosed amount.
“At the end of 2010, music business sales were less than half of what they had been 10 years ago,” said Michael Coleman, CEO of Integrity Media, which he co-founded more than 24 years ago. “The decline has continued into 2011.”
And music companies also are being slapped with the issues of digital piracy and a general change in how consumers view music — access rather than ownership, he said.
“The company has been making changes to try to adapt to these monumental shifts in the marketplace, but it has been quite a challenge,” Coleman said. “An earlier staff reduction and the listing of our property in west Mobile were part of the most recent changes. This, combined with the sale of our music assets, will help us address a number of issues as we navigate this changing landscape.”
Selling Integrity’s international companies in the United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa is also part of the reduction plan.
Integrity Music will operate as an independent label within David C. Cook and move to Colorado Springs after a three-month transition period. C. Ryan Dunham, formerly David C. Cook’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, has been named president of the label.
“I am honored that Michael Coleman, a man whom I highly respect and who has meant so much to the worship music movement, has chosen to entrust us with Integrity Music’s worship catalog,” said Cris Doornbos, president and CEO of David C. Cook. “Our vision for Integrity Music songs and recordings is to see them sung by people in their native languages in churches all over the world.”
Coleman said he and Doornbos share a “passion for serving the global church” through worship music.
“As Integrity prepares to celebrate 25 years in ministry, I look forward to seeing the expanding impact of Integrity songs and products around the world,” Coleman said.
For now, Integrity intends to keep running its remaining divisions from Mobile, including Integrity Worship Institute, a training and education division, and Integrity Direct, which distributes CDs, DVDs and other resources. (TAB)
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