MTV to Livestream Hangout Music Fest, Begin. Today

MTV, VH1 and CMT will today begin an unmatched multiscreen live performance and news coverage of Hangout Music Festival, including a livestream of the entire event at HangOut.MTV.com, as well as television updates and highlights across MTV, VH1, CMT, MTV2, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, VH1 Classic, CMT Pure and Palladia.

MTV/VH1/CMT's various news and editorial organizations including MTV News, VH1 News and CMT News, and its social channels, will provide fans at home unmatched on-stage and backstage access to the festival's line-up that includes Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Stevie Wonder, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Imagine Dragons, and Kendrick Lamar, as well as well as on-the-ground reporting highlighting the fashions, personalities, breakout moments and unexpected events that define the spirit of the festival.

Jersey Shore's alumni and host of "The Show with Vinny," Vinny Guadagnino will serve as a special correspondent covering the festival, in addition to electronic artist and MTV Clubland Artist to Watch Dillon Francis; model and frequent guest news correspondent Chrissy Teigen; model, TV host and 2012 Miss Alabama USA Katherine Webb; and internet celeb, lifecaster and TV host iJustine.

"MTV, VH1 and CMT pioneered festival coverage on television and we're now looking to expand and re-invent how we tell and share the story of the festival across all of our screens," said Dave Sirulnick, executive Vice president of MTV News, Docs and Specials. "We're looking to empower music fans to discover, enjoy and discuss this great festival on their platform or device of choice."

Throughout the weekend, MTV, VH1, CMT, MTV2, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, VH1 Classic, CMT Pure and Palladia will feature news hits and festival highlights, hosted by MTV's Sway and James Montgomery and VH1's Jim Shearer. Later in the summer, Palladia will premiere a festival highlights special. Pizza Hut is also partnering with MTV/VH1/CMT to launch its Discover Great program throughout the weekend, where its news teams will interview and cover some of the program's hottest artists.

"When given the opportunity to partner with Viacom for the Pizza Hut Discover Great campaign, we knew this program would align perfectly with our brand mission to 'Make It Great,'" said Carrie Walsh, Vice president of marketing at Pizza Hut. "We cannot wait to continue to grow our stable of Discover Great performers and support them as they develop as artists."

Beginning today, fans can go to HangOut.MTV.com to access a multi-view livestream of the various stages as well as an audience cam. The HUB will also feature up-to-the-minute news stories and packages featuring the special correspondents Vinny Guadagnino, Dillon Francis, Chrissy Teigen, Katherine Webb and iJustine interviewing artists and fans and covering the breakout moments and unexpected events. Additionally, fans can receive up-to-the-minute news across MTV/VH1/CMT's various Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The inaugural Hangout Music Fest in Gulf Shores, AL was launched on May 14-16, 2010, and featured performances from Trey Anastasio, The Zac Brown Band, John Legend, The Roots and more. The second festival took place on May 20-22, 2011, with performances from Foo Fighters, Paul Simon, and The Black Keys, among others. The 2011 event was estimated to have generated approximately $30 million for the area's economy, and was later awarded "Music Festival of the Year" honors at the Pollstar Awards. The completely sold-out, third Hangout Music Fest hosted a crowd of 35,000 concertgoers per day on May 17-19, 2012, and featured a diverse lineup including Jack White, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, Skrillex, The Flaming Lips, and more. Earlier this week, festival organizers announced the complete sell-out of all passes for the 2013 Fest.

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