Zondervan Named Exclusive Publisher of the Good News Bible

Posted on March 27, 2001

Zondervan and the American Bible Society (ABS) announced an agreement under which Zondervan will acquire the rights to become the exclusive commercial publisher of the Good News Translation (GNT), previously known as Today's English Version (TEV) or commonly known as the Good News Bible (GNB). The GNT is a proprietary translation of the American Bible Society, which will continue to publish the translation for the church market.

``The GNT complements Zondervan's increasingly diverse translation family, as we are able to bring new features to this Bible that Christians have never before been able to enjoy with the GNT,'' said Bruce Ryskamp, Zondervan's chief executive officer. ``Our experience in crafting best-selling editions of the Bible will enable us to take the strengths of the GNT to new levels, making it even more engaging to the millions of current readers and appealing to others who have never before experienced this remarkably straightforward, accessible translation.''

``This agreement allows us to enlarge the distribution of the Good News Translation into channels not traditionally served by ABS, such as the large mass market,'' said Eugene Habecker, president of the American Bible Society. ``We have complementary strengths -- ABS with the churches and the strength of the Zondervan brand in the commercial market -- and we're glad this partnership will enable a wider distribution of this popular translation.''

Founded in 1816 and headquartered in New York City, the American Bible Society is a non-profit, interconfessional organization which distributes more than 77 million copies of the Bible, New Testaments and Scripture Portions in the United States each year. Founded in 1931, Zondervan Corporation is a leading Christian communications company. A division of HarperCollins Publishers, Zondervan publishes and distributes internationally bestselling Bibles, books, multimedia and gift products. Zondervan is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.