• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, September 10, 2008

The Gospel Music Channel is set to join the roster of networks rated by Nielsen--a watershed moment for any start-from-scratch cable channel. GMC will begin to offer advertisers a peek at hard performance numbers starting in the fourth quarter.

Until now, without the Nielsen figures, the network has functioned more as a "conceptual buy." "A lot of advertisers say, 'We can't buy yet--we'll wait until you're rated,'" said Mary Jeanne Cavanagh, executive vice president of ad sales.

With the Nielsen figures coming, Cavanagh said the network was able to provide ratings guarantees for the first time during last summer's upfront selling.

Still, GMC has attracted more than 40 national marketers, including Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, Procter & Gamble and General Mills. Some have taken advantage of the two nights a week in which GMC airs programming targeting African-Americans--where Cavanagh said the lack of ratings has been less of a hurdle, since there are not many outlets providing a high concentration of that audience.

GMC currently is in some 42 million homes--some networks in 50 million or more still don't offer Nielsen ratings--and is expected to continue its distribution growth over the coming months.

Later this year, GMC will launch the reality series "Revolve Rockin' the Road"--chronicling four friends on a concert tour, which could attract a younger audience. A first-ever comedy is in development. And a series of sponsored 60- to-90-second comedic vignettes is on tap.