2011 'Billboard Music Awards' Air on ABC 5/22

"The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" will be broadcast on ABC live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The announcement was made today by Richard D. Beckman, CEO of Prometheus Global Media, which owns Billboard. The show is scheduled to air on SUNDAY, MAY 22 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) and will become one of the most important music forums for artists on television. The live broadcast will be co-executive produced by Beckman and Don Mischer of Don Mischer Productions.

"We're thrilled to partner with Billboard on the Billboard Music Awards. ABC is already the destination for such prestigious music events as The American Music Awards and The CMA Awards, and we're proud The Billboard Music Awards will now be calling us their home," said Vicki Dummer, senior vice president, Alternative Series, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment Group. "We see this marquee event as a valuable asset and perfect opportunity for us to launch in May."

"This show marks the first of several broadcast platforms we plan to build around the Billboard franchise," said Beckman. "We have an incredible network partner and, with Don Mischer, one of the finest producers in the world. We look forward to entertaining music fans with Billboard's own rendition of a televised celebration of music."

Artist popularity will be recognized on stage by objective measures, capturing pure fan support through Billboard's legendary chart rankings. The Billboard Music Awards will take a holistic look at artist performance based on key fan interactions with music, including album, single and digital sales, touring, streaming, as well as social interactions on MySpace, Facebook and many of the other most popular online destinations for music. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners.

The awards will be based on the reporting period of February 28, 2010 through March 1, 2011. Top artists will be recognized in a variety of genres, for example R&B, Rap, Pop, Country, Rock, Latin and Alternative. Such recognition will be determined and authenticated by Billboard.

"Las Vegas is a world-class destination known for hosting special events," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "Millions of visitors enjoy our entertainment offerings every year, and having the Billboard Music Awards return to Las Vegas gives them one more reason to visit."

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