NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 5, 2011 -- CMT and its pro-social initiative CMT One Country will air a live, 90-minute concert special featuring Hank Williams, Jr. and Alabama, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw and many others to raise awareness and funds for those affected by the recent devastating storms, flooding and tornadoes.  The fundraising special will air live from Nashville on Thursday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on CMT and will be simulcast on CMT.com.  Additional artists to be announced; all money raised will benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts.  

Hank Williams, Jr. got the ball rolling on the fundraising event this past weekend when he reached out to CMT to express his urgent desire to address the disaster:  "I just couldn't believe what I was seeing on TV.  Alabama is home - I am really pumped about helping.  I want to raise a lot of money, and thanks to my good friends, we are going to be able to make a difference."

"CMT's audience is reaching out to us, and to our stars, in desperation," said Brian Philips, president, CMT.  "The other seismic news events of the past few days have had the unintended effect of limiting media coverage of this massive, historic American disaster.  Simply put, CMT and our artists will not allow this to happen.  We will raise money, and we will shine the brightest possible light on the urgent needs of our courageous neighbors.  On behalf of CMT, MTV Networks and Viacom, we strongly urge other organizations to join us in this labor of love."

"Our hearts go out to every person affected by these storms, and we're grateful for every donation that enables the Red Cross to do whatever we possibly can do to ease their suffering and give them help," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross.

**CMT One Country encourages you to support our neighbors affected by the recent devastating tornadoes and floods.  Please text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts.

www.cmtpress.com 

CMT ONE COUNTRY, CMT's pro-social initiative, was launched in the fall of 2005 to promote civic participation and inspire CMT viewers to take action and bring about important change in their communities. For more information visit CMTONECOUNTRY.com.

CMT, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network's digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

About the American Red Cross:  The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visitwww.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Disaster facts from the American Red Cross:

• People have lost loved ones. They have been injured. They have lost everything they owned.

• Preliminary government reports indicate 600 tornadoes occurred in April, making it the busiest month on record for tornadoes. Early estimates show last week's storms destroyed or damaged more than 13,000 homes across six states. The Red Cross has launched a huge recovery operation to help the thousands of people affected by these storms.

• The Red Cross is providing food, shelter, emotional support and essential relief supplies like hygiene kits, work gloves, tarps and coolers.

• Since March 31, the Red Cross has opened 122 shelters in 16 states providing more than 8,300 overnight stays to people in need. Monday night alone, more than 1,200 people spent the night in shelters in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee,Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

• The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster. Please consider making a donation today to help the thousands of people who have been affected by these disasters.  Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

• Any donation, large or small, will help. For example, $3 can provide a comfort kit for someone in a disaster. $6 can cover the cost of a blanket, $10 the cost of a hot meal. For $150, someone's donation can cover the cost of providing food and shelter to a family of four for a day they spend in a shelter.

SOURCE CMT

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