NASHVILLE – The
Country Music Association and ABC Television Network have announced that “The
46th Annual CMA Awards” will air Thursday, Nov. 1 (8:00-11:00 PM/EST)
on ABC live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
“The
CMA Awards recognizes the best in the format – that’s what makes this ‘Country
Music’s Biggest Night’,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive
Officer. “The CMA Awards is one of the most highly anticipated events for our
industry each year. It’s a night to honor our finest performers, songwriters,
record producers, musicians, and music video directors.”
The 2011 CMA Awards
was the No. 1 entertainment show for the week among the key advertising Adults
18-49 sales demographic. The special beat its nearest competition by 5.6 million
viewers and by 26 percent in Adults 18-49, according to Nielsen.
Held during
November Sweeps (Nov. 9), “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” on
ABC, dominated the night winning all six of its half-hours in total viewers and
Adults 18-49. With a primetime sweep, ABC finished No. 1 on Wednesday in Viewers
across all key demos including Adult, Men, and Women (18-34/18-49/25-54), as well
as finishing as the top broadcaster with Teens (12-17). In Total Viewers (16.4
million; 17.49 Live+7) and Adults 18-49 (4.8/13; 5.2/14 Live+7) it was ABC’s
strongest Wednesday in two years with an estimated 35 million viewers watching
at least some portion of the three-hour, live gala.
The CMA
Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 11,000 industry professional
members of CMA, which was the first trade organization formed to promote an individual
genre of music in 1958.
Winners of “The 46th Annual CMA Awards”
will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the
Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international
accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
The eligibility
period for the 2012 CMA Awards is July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. All voting for
“The 46th Annual CMA Awards” will be conducted online. The
first ballot and instructions will be emailed June 25 to CMA members in good standing
who are eligible to vote. Voting for the first ballot closes at 5:00 PM/CT, July 9.
The
second ballot will be emailed to CMA members Aug. 9. Voting for the second ballot
closes at 5:00 PM/CT, Aug. 21. The final nominees in each of the 12 categories
will be announced in early September.
The third and final
ballot will be emailed to CMA members Oct. 4. Voting for the CMA Awards final
ballot ends at 5:00 PM/CT, Oct. 22.
Rounding out events during
CMA Awards Week will be the taping of “CMA Country Christmas” Saturday, Nov.
3 at the Bridgestone Arena when Country Music’s biggest stars come together
to celebrate the holidays. The special airs on ABC during the holiday season.
Ticket
information for the CMA Awards and “CMA Country Christmas” will be announced later this summer.
“The
46th Annual CMA Awards” and “CMA Country Christmas” are productions
of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive
Producer and Paul Miller is the Director of both specials. Both
specials will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P),
ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
The first
“CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA
Awards was broadcast on NBC Television for the first time – making it the longest
running, annual music awards program on network television. The Awards aired on
NBC through 1971, on the CBS Television Network from 1972 through 2005, and has
aired on ABC since 2006. ABC will be the network home of the CMA Awards and “CMA
Country Christmas” through 2021. |
