CMT.COM SEEKS THE BEST UNSIGNED ACTS WITH THE RETURN OF "MUSIC CITY MADNESS" ON JULY 15

Grand Prize Winner to Receive Trip to CMT in Nashville to Record Their Own UNPLUGGED AT STUDIO 330, a Private Audition with Warner Bros. Records and a Mentor Session with Country Superstar Randy Travis

NASHVILLE � July 15, 2008 � For the third year in a row, CMT.com will scour the nation in search of the best unsigned country acts when MUSIC CITY MADNESS launches today, Tuesday, July 15. Country music's first user-generated talent search, the competition offers undiscovered singer/songwriters a chance to showcase their talent and let fans decide who takes home the prize in the online battle of the bands. Warner Bros. Records has joined as the official record label, while Chevrolet returns for a second year as the official online and on-air sponsor.

In addition, CMT and Comcast have partnered to bring live auditions to the cities of Nashville, Knoxville, Pittsburgh and Atlanta. The local auditions, which will be held in August, offer contestants a chance to record and enter their video-taped submission on site. The events will also include a competition element and one local entrant from each audition will automatically be entered into the top 64 finalists and receive a Comcast/CMT-sponsored showcase in their hometown, along with other prizing. Participating Comcast markets can sell sponsorships to the audition events which will be taped and packaged for Comcast's local video on demand channels.

The grand prize winner of CMT.com's MUSIC CITY MADNESS will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Nashville to record an episode of the CMT online series UNPLUGGED AT STUDIO 330, a private audition with Warner Bros. Records A&R department and a mentoring session with country superstar Randy Travis. The online contest will again be featured in a half-hour CMT special, MUSIC CITY MADNESS � THE ROAD TO CMT, a round-by-round recap that reveals the top two finalists and highlights the best, craziest and most unique submissions.

CMT will accept submissions for MUSIC CITY MADNESS July 15 through October 6. Entrants can submit their original video performance entry online or via mail to compete against the nation's best undiscovered talent. All styles of country music are welcome including bluegrass, folk, southern rock and Americana, among others. The top 64 finalists will be chosen by CMT and revealed on October 21 where they will compete in single-elimination, tournament-style fan voting over a period of eight weeks. CMT.com visitors narrow the field week by week by voting for their favorite act, and the grand prize winner will be revealed December 16.

Last year, more than four million votes were cast at CMT.com to name 13-year-old Utah native Katelynn Jolley the winner.

For complete rules and information on how to enter the MUSIC CITY MADNESS Video Contest, visit madness.CMT.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 87 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, www.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 unit of Viacom , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 137 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.