'Gospel Dreams' In New Jersey

Gospel Music Channel will promote the third season of singing competition Gospel Dreams — and reward some of its most recent Comcast affiliates — with a series of local promotional events throughout New Jersey.

The “Gospel Dream Bus Tour” is scheduled for 11 churches and malls throughout the Garden State, beginning March 29.

Auditioners for the cable series will be solicited throughout the tour, and one participant will go to the on-air version, according to Gospel director of affiliate marketing Angela Cannon.

The bus will also stop at three Comcast offices: the Voorhees call center, the Comcast-Union office and the regional headquarters in East Windsor. Gospel will award the affiliate with premium items and the office stops will give Comcast employees a chance to audition, too.

At each consumer stop, amateurs will audition and will receive a DVD of their performance. At the stops, Comcast will sign visitors up for a chance to win a plasma TV, provided by the operator, or an iPod, from the channel. Comcast will also market its products at the events.

New Jersey will be the only state with an audition tour. Gospel will conduct tryouts in other markets, some also in partnership with Comcast, such as Chicago (recently concluded), Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Miami. The network has been contacting churches and Christian radio stations in those markets to publicize the audition stops in all locations.

Cannon is already enthusiastic about the potential turnout for the New Jersey tour. The effort has yet to be publicized, but already 29 people have found the tour landing page (gospelmusicchannel.com/gospeldream) and signed up to audition, she said.