8-K

                              UNITED STATES
                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

	                   Washington, D.C.  20549



	                           FORM 8-K

	                       CURRENT REPORT
	            PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
	               SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


             Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                   February 19, 2004 (February 19, 2004)



	                       Thomas Nelson, Inc.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	        (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


      Tennessee                  1-13788                    62-0679364
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (State or other        (Commission File Number)        (I.R.S. Employer
  Jurisdiction of                                        Identification No.)
  Incorporation)


               501 Nelson Place
               Nashville, Tennessee                  37214-1000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of Principal                  (Zip Code)
                Executive Offices)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  615/889-9000




                             TABLE OF CONTENTS
                             -----------------

SIGNATURES
- ----------
EXHIBIT INDEX
- -------------
EX-99.1 PRESS RELEASE 02/19/04
- ------------------------------




TABLE OF CONTENTS
- -----------------


Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

The following exhibit is furnished pursuant to Item 12:

     99.1  Press Release, February 19, 2004

Item 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

     On February 19, 2004, Thomas Nelson, Inc. issued a press release
announcing that its Board of Directors had declared a dividend.  A copy of
the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.




TABLE OF CONTENTS
- -----------------


	                          SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                        THOMAS NELSON, INC.


                                 By:       /s/ Joe L. Powers
                                     -----------------------------
	                             Name:   Joe L. Powers
	                             Title:  Executive Vice President
                                           and Secretary


Date:  February 19, 2004



                              EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
Numbers
- -------

   99.1		News Release, February 19, 2004

EX-99

                              EXHIBIT 99.1



NEWS RELEASE
- ------------
Date:         February 19, 2004
Contact:      Joe L. Powers
              Executive Vice President
              P.O. Box 141000
              Nashville, TN  37214-1000
Phone:        (615) 902-1300
Fax:          (615) 883-6353
Website:      www.thomasnelson.com

            THOMAS NELSON DECLARES CASH DIVIDEND

NASHVILLE, TN, February 19, 2004.  Thomas Nelson, Inc. (NYSE:TNM) today
announced that the Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of
$0.04 (four cents) per share for each Common and Class B Common share
outstanding.  This represents an indicated annual cash dividend of
$0.16 (sixteen cents) per share.  The dividend is payable April 19,
2004 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 5, 2004.

Thomas Nelson, Inc. is a leading publisher and distributor of books
emphasizing Christian, inspirational and family value themes and believes
it is the largest publisher of Bibles and inspirational books in the English
language.  For more information, visit the Company's website at
www.thomasnelson.com.

Thomas Nelson's stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(TNM-NYSE).

                                ###