Photo Credit: Newsboys by Breezy Baldwin / CC by 2.0
Christian rockers the Newsboys and founder Wes Campbell file a defamation suit against dozens of defendants, including tour promoters and journalists.
Christian rock band the Newsboys and their co-founder, Christian music executive Wes Campbell, have filed a wide-ranging federal lawsuit against dozens of defendants. Their suit alleges an orchestrated campaign to defame the band and drive them out of the Christian music market.
Filed in the District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, the complaint names dominant Christian concert promoter LiveCo/TPR, nonprofit World Vision, online Christian publication The Roys Report, and several prominent musicians in the Christian music space, including MercyMe, as defendants.
The filing claims that Transparent Productions, Premier Productions Holdings, and Rush Concerts were all acquired in near-simultaneous transactions by LiveCo/TPR, and allegedly created a monopoly. Further, the lawsuit asserts that this monopoly was orchestrated by Netherlands-based Waterland Private Equity, and was spearheaded by the same individual who led the formation of the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger.
World Vision is alleged to be paying LiveCo/TPR to allow the company exclusive or near-exclusive rights to raise money at Christian concert market events promoted by LiveCo/TPR. The Roys Report is alleged to have published defamatory articles over the last two years, including serious accusations regarding a 2014 incident.
According to the Roys Report piece, former Newsboys singer Michael Tait had a history of aggressive sexual behavior toward men. The nature of this piece, notably, is not specifically outlined in the Newsboys’ suit. Tait resigned from the group without explanation just a few months before the Roys Report article.
“We have not been served with the complaint, but we are aware of it,” said Julie Roys, the founder and publisher of the Roys Report. “As a matter of policy, we don’t comment on pending litigation. The Roys Report stands by its reporting and will address the allegations through the appropriate legal process.”
The musicians named in the filing are alleged to have breached contracts with Campbell-affiliated companies, which in turn are alleged to have been approved by LiveCo/TPR and World Vision.
“In this case, Wes Campbell and the four musicians comprising the Christian musical artists known as the Newsboys, their families, and the ministries they have dedicated their lives to build, have been destroyed by the actions of the defendants, including their publication of defamatory articles fueled by competitors with anticompetitive motives,” the suit reads.
Meanwhile, LiveCo released a statement disputing the Newsboys’ lawsuit’s version of events:
“The company completely disagrees with the characterization of our practices presented in this filing. We didn’t engage in any wrongful conduct,” said a company spokesperson. “For years, LiveCo has operated with integrity in faith-based programming. We are proud of our reputation as a leader in this industry and remain committed to serving our artists, partners, and fans with excellence. We look forward to presenting a vigorous defense to these allegations and providing the court with the accurate and honorable facts of our business history.”
