Dove Awards Nominees to Be Announced

|PIC1|A Dove Awards Press Conference will be held on Tuesday morning in Nashville, Tennessee, where nominees in over 40 categories will be revealed by gospel artists Brian Littrell and Juanita Bynum.

Tickets for the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards went on sale in December through TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.com).

The Dove Awards will be presented on Wednesday, 25 April, 2007 (8:00-10:00pm CST) at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by Dove-winning artists Natalie Grant, Littrell and Donnie McClurkin.

Littrell, who is widely-known as a member of the legendary pop group Backstreet Boys for 13 years, won his first Dove Awards last year for his solo "In Christ Alone" earlier this year.

GMA's Dove Awards is Christian and gospel music's biggest night of the year, when top artists from every style of gospel music come together for a national night of music and celebration as the GMA bestows the industry's highest honour - the Dove Award.

Nominations for the awards will be announced on 20 February 2007.

"Everything is already falling into place for a fantastic Dove Awards show in 2007. Natalie, Brian and Donnie make a striking trio of hosts who will be engaging, smart and entertaining and we are excited each accepted our invitation to host the show," said John W. Styll, president of the GMA. "Also, our television syndication plan is well underway, and in terms of broadcast confirmations, we are already well ahead of last year. There's a building enthusiasm for the GMA Dove Awards just as the national spotlight on Christian and gospel music's positive impact on our country and culture continues to radiate."

ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox broadcast affiliates in Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC, Atlanta, Cleveland, New Orleans and Nashville are among the more than 50 television stations that have already cleared the GMA Dove Awards for the 2007 broadcast.

The Dove Awards will be produced by Steve Gilreath Television. Handling first-run syndication through broadcast network affiliates and independent stations nationwide is Central City Productions of Chicago, Illinois, which also produces and syndicates the Stellar Awards. Following the broadcast syndication, The Gospel Music Channel will have the cable premiere of the GMA Dove Awards.

The broadcast taping of the GMA Dove Awards will begin at 8pm and feature artist performances and the presentation of a number of key Dove Awards. The opening ceremony begins at 5:30pm and will include the announcement of most of the 44 categories of Dove Awards. Tickets to the show include seating at both events.