The FCMA is very pleased to announce the first ever online voting for the 2007 Pearl Awards. Beginning Tuesday, September 18th, voting members will receive and email with log in and password information and instructions for reaching the voting site. The online ballot will allow voters to open a window for each candidate with artwork, full credit details, and a link to review audio samples as you vote. We look forward to greater ease and convenience for our voting members during this automated process.


NOMINATION AND VOTING PROCESS
The Faith Centered Music Association exists to unite members of our industry who are interested in raising the quality and expanding the reach of faith promoting music. We move this initiative forward through education & mentoring, service, and ongoing public relations efforts such as the Pearl Awards. In short, we are united in our efforts to reach, lift, & inspire. Each year, the Pearl Awards event gives us an opportunity expand our reach by showcasing the best our industry has to offer, to lift each other as we share an evening of music and fellowship, and to inspire increasing excellence within our ranks.

The entry, nomination and voting process has been designed to ensure a thorough evaluation of all Pearl Award entries and to manage the investment of time required by the voting members during this process. The process is determined by the FCMA board of directors and maybe modified at any time according to the bylaws under which the board operates.

Entries
Shortly after the close of the eligibility period each December 31st, record labels and distributors listed in the LDSBA Music Directory are invited to enter recorded songs, albums, artists and others they feel merit consideration for a Pearl Award. The FCMA Board of Directors screens the submissions for eligibility to create a Preliminary List of Entries.

A "Call for Entries" is then sent to all FCMA members along with the Preliminary List of Entries. All FCMA members may make additional entries in all categories. These entries are also screened by the board for eligibility. The FCMA Board of Directors determines a final list of eligible entries and reserves the right to decide on all matters with regard to entry, category and eligibility. The Official Entry List is the result.

Eligibility
A recorded song or album is eligible for consideration in the Faith Centered Music Association's Pearl Awards if it:

• was available for sale in LDS bookstores, the LDS section of mainstream record stores or made available through official LDS channels such CES or Distribution Centers, or sold via mail order, concert merchandising, or internet download during the eligibility period; and
• has sold a minimum of 500 verifiable units; and
• espouses, embraces, explores or celebrates life as seen from a faith-centered, LDS perspective and is relevant in the LDS culture; and
• is virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy.

The eligibility period for the 2007 Pearl Awards includes albums or recordings released for general distribution between the dates of January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2006.

The FCMA Board of Directors makes the final determination of eligibility in all matters. The FCMA reserves the following rights without liability:

• To withdraw any category any year in which the FCMA board of directors determines there is an insufficient number of entries or to add any category any year in which the FCMA board of director determines there is a sufficient number of entries in that genre to merit its own category.
• To make the final determination of the persons entitled to awards recognition.
• To place any selection into the category it deems appropriate.
• To rule on the eligibility of any entry.

Album & Recorded Song Nominations
A team of five "nominating committees" is appointed each year by the FCMA Board of Directors to review the entries in their assigned awards categories and select five nominees (or finalists) in each category. Each nominating committee is comprised of three individuals who have general expertise in the award categories they have been assigned to review, but who have not participated in any of the eligible entries in those categories. Some reviewers may be chosen from the FCMA membership, others may be members of the entertainment community at large, members of the press, or others qualified to evaluate the artistic and technical merit of the entries. (For example a conductor or violinist might be asked to serve on the committee assigned to select nominees in the Sacred Instrumental Album of the Year category). Current FCMA board members are not eligible to participate on a nominating committee and nominating committee members may not participate in consecutive years.

Committee members are provided with copies of the entries in their assigned categories for individual review. Following their independent evaluation of the entries, each committee meets for a secret ballot vote to determine their collective five nominees in each category. Each nominating committee is overseen by a member of the board to ensure strict adherence to committee guidelines and preserve the objectivity and integrity of the nominating process.

Recording Artist Nominations
Each entry for Male Recording Artist, Female Recording Artist, Group Recording Artist, Instrumental Recording Artist, New Recording Artist and Performing Artist will be reviewed by the respective nominating committee assigned to evaluate the genre of music the artist has recorded or performed during the eligibility period. (If the artist has recorded works in multiple genres, all committees representing those genres will be included in the artist review process.) This will ensure that the artists are being evaluated by individuals who have thoroughly reviewed the artists' eligible material.

Based on their evaluation of the artist entries, each committee will nominate the artists to be voted upon by the general voting membership. To ensure that all artists found to be deserving of a nomination are included, there will be no limit as to the number of nominees allowed in the recording and performing artist categories.

Album Design Nominations
Entries in this category will be reviewed by a committee of professional designers who will determine the five Album Design nominees.

Producer, Engineer, Studio Musician, & Studio Vocalist Awards
Entries in the categories of Producer, Engineer, Studio Musician, and Studio Vocalist Awards will appear in all genres of music. Accordingly, these entries will be reviewed by members of all nominating committees. The committees will then nominate the individuals in these categories to be voted upon by the general voting membership. As with the artist categories, there will be no limit as to the number of nominees allowed in the recording and performing artist categories.

Record Label, Radio Show, & Retail Manager Awards
Entries in the categories of Record Label, Radio Show, & Retail Manager Awards will not be reviewed by the nominating committees, but will all appear on the ballot voted upon by the general voting membership.

Songwriter & Arranger Awards
The five nominees in these categories will be derived from the nominees in the Recorded Song of the Year categories as follows:

1. Each songwriter or arranger whose name appears as a credit for any Recorded Song of the Year nominee will receive one "vote" for every credit.
2. Nominees for Recorded Song which are both written and arranged by the same individual(s) will earn a "vote" for the individual(s) in both the Songwriter and Arranger categories.
3. If a nominee for Recorded Song was written or arranged by more than one person, each individual will receive a "vote." The votes will not be shared among the team, but awarded individually.
4. Arrangers who are the predominant arranger for a nominated album will also receive one vote, unless the arranger has already received a vote for a nominated song from the same album.
5. The songwriter and arranger receiving the most "votes" in each category based on this formula will become the five nominees for Songwriters or Arranger of the Year to be voted upon by the voting membership.
6. If a team of writers writes exclusively as a team, their vote tally will remain identical, producing a tie. Should this occur, the team may determine whether to appear on the final ballot as a team or as individuals and the Board will honor the team s decision.

Following the nominating process outlined above, the nominees will be announced to the membership. Nominees will have the opportunity to send evaluation copies of their works to the voting membership and to provide audio links to be posted on our website to allow for voter review.

Voting
Final votes are cast by the FCMA voting membership. In 2007 voting will be administered by a national online voting firm with strict security protocols to ensure that the process will be as accurate and secure as the previous paper ballot system. Voting members will receive detailed instructions for this process when the opening of the voting period is announced. Voting will take place in early July.

Note: The FCMA Board of Directors has adopted that votes cast by voting members whose qualifications for voting membership are based on group credits cannot comprise more than five per cent (5%) of the total active voting membership of the FCMA

Results
Results of the voting will be tabulated by the firm administering the online voting process and the winners will be announced at the annual Pearl Awards event.