Ever since leading comedian Louis CK announced the release of his new stand-up comedy special for $5 over his website louisck.net, the media has been abuzz about the potential for this sort of digital distribution model to be successful and shift the paradigm for the way content is marketed and distributed. The results appear to show that CK’s effort was a fairly unmitigated success, generating more than $1 million in revenue against $250,000 in production costs. After covering his costs, CK generously donated a significant portion of the proceeds to several charities, paid his staff handsomely, and kept the remainder for himself – truly a win-win-win effort.

Company Name: Mozo Media LLC

Company Location: Troy, MI

Company Web Site: http://www.mozomedia.co.uk/

Number of Years in Business: 1

Name of Primary Contact: Kerry Fly, VP of Sales, kfly@mozomedia.co

Company Description: Mozo Media offers a total supply chain solution for the Home Entertainment Category, with services ranging from traditional wholesale to inventory overstock solutions. Our team has over sixty years of experience in the Home Entertainment Industry. Our expertise and relationships have enabled us to be the overstock product solution for many retailers.

Primary Music Service or Product: We are primarily involved in CD overstock solutions and wholesale.

“On the heels of the fantastic news that Adele will give her first live performance following her recent throat surgery at next week’s Grammy Awards, her multi-nominated album 21 continues its amazing run at the top of the chart notching its 18th non-consecutive week. And what’s more, the upper echelon of the chart is stacked with seven new releases, the most in eight months, including Tim McGraw, Lamb Of God, 2012 Grammy Nominees, Ingrid Michaelson, Kellie Pickler, Seal, and Kari Jobe. Since January has been a traditionally tough month for sales in the past several years, it’s extremely welcome news that overall sales volume has climbed, with a 2% increase over 2011. Digital track sales are up even more at 6% compared to last year. The next few weeks should be noteworthy with Valentine’s Day approaching and bringing with it a line-up of some high profile releases, not to mention the expected halo effect of the Grammys.”

For the full report on this week’s sales numbers, visit http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/adele-takes-18th-week-at-no-1-as-seven-albums-1006055352.story

Jim Donio, President of NARM, the music business association, commented on the death of Don Cornelius. “I am so very sorry to hear the news of Don’s passing. He was a longtime friend, supporter and partner of NARM. Personally, I really enjoyed getting to know him and working closely with him for many, many years on various retail promotional campaigns tied to the Soul Train Music Awards and the Lady Of Soul Awards. Don was always very gracious with his time, so creative and so collaborative with NARM and its members. In 2007, I had the great pleasure to present Don with the NARM Presidential Award for Sustained Executive Achievement recognizing his invaluable contributions to our industry for nearly four decades as a broadcaster, producer and visionary entertainment impresario who was always on the cutting edge of Soul music. When I look back, I know it will certainly be one of the biggest highlights of my tenure as NARM President. My deepest condolences go out to Don’s family and friends at this terribly sad time.”

Below is the press release from 2007 announcing Don Cornelius as the recipient of this award:

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) is pleased to announce that Soul Train creator and executive producer Don Cornelius will receive NARM’s 2007 Presidential Award for Sustained Executive Achievement. NARM President Jim Donio will present the Award to Cornelius during InSights & Sounds.07, NARM’s Annual Convention to be held Sunday, April 29, through Wednesday, May 2 at the Hilton Chicago.

“NARM welcomes the chance to applaud the invaluable contributions Don Cornelius has made to our industry for nearly four decades as a broadcaster, producer and visionary entertainment impresario,” said Donio. “Cornelius, who has been on the cutting edge of Soul music for over 30 years, joins an esteemed list of former recipients that includes such music industry luminaries as Clive Davis, Berry Gordy Jr., Dick Clark, Casey Kasem, Russ Solomon, Paul Smith, and Henry Droz, among others.”

Following his dream of becoming a radio announcer, Cornelius enrolled in a Chicago broadcasting school in the spring of 1966. Upon completion of the course, he was offered a part-time position as a news announcer on Chicago radio station WVON, one of Chicago’s most popular Black-oriented stations. It was there that Cornelius got the idea for a Black-oriented dance show and at his own expense produced a pilot for the show.

WCUI-TV began airing the original version of Soul Train as a five-day-a-week afternoon strip on August 17, 1970. Soul Train became an instant success throughout Chicago.

An advertising partnership with the Johnson Products Company took Soul Train to national syndication on October 2, 1971. Soul Train currently reaches 85% of U.S. Television households through station clearances in 105 cities, including all major markets. The show continues to perform well in all ratings research categories, and has long been established as one of America’s most successful programs in first-run syndication. As the longest running TV program of any genre in the history of first-run syndication in America, Soul Train has inspired music aficionados with its hip dancing and exciting performances by top R&B, Hip Hop, Gospel and Jazz superstars including Michael Jackson, Prince, Elton John, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Public Enemy, R. Kelly, Boyz II Men, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, and many others.

In 1987, Don Cornelius Productions, Inc., with the help of the Tribune Entertainment Company, the exclusive distributor/syndicator of Soul Trian, launched the Soul Train Music Awards, a live, two-hour television special presented annually in prime time syndication.

Cornelius’s achievements and influences have been recognized by Hollywood and the broadcasting community alike, with a “Star” on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his 1995 induction into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.