CMT SEARCHES FOR THE NEXT GREAT COUNTRY MUSIC DUO AND ANNOUNCES THE TOP TEN DUOS MOVING ON TO COMPETE FOR A RECORDING CONTRACT WITH BIG MACHINE RECORDS ON "CAN YOU DUET"

NASHVILLE � June 2, 2009 � Thousands of country star hopefuls auditioned, but only two performers will make the final cut to become country's next great duo on the second season of the CMT music competition series CAN YOU DUET, from "American Idol" producers FremantleMedia North America. After rigorous auditions, the pool of talent has been narrowed to the final ten duos that will perform weekly at the famed Nashville Wildhorse Saloon to stay in the competition in CAN YOU DUET, premiering Saturday, June 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CMT.

Hosted by Lance Smith CAN YOU DUET's panel of celebrity and expert judge/mentors, including country superstar Naomi Judd, one-half of the multi-platinum country duo Big and Rich, Big Kenny, and President and CEO of Big Machine Records, Scott Borchetta, have the challenge of finding country music's next great duo � with the winner walking away with a recording contract with Big Machine Records.

The Top Ten Duos:

� Chelsee & Rob Chelsee Oaks (R), 22, Traverse City, Michigan Rob Bolin (L), 22, Traverse City, Michigan

� Harmon Creek Spencer Bartoletti (L), 22, Burgettstown, Pennsylvania Dessa Zuccaro (R), 21, Burgettstown, Pennsylvania

� O'SHEA Mark O'Shea (L), 32, Queensland, Australia Jay O'Shea (R), 35, Adelaide, Australia

� STEEL MAGNOLIA Josh Jones (L), 28, Charleston, Illinois Meghan Linsey Moore (R), 23, Ponchatoula, Louisiana

� THE STELLAS Brad Stella (L), 35, Whitby, Ontario Marylynne Stella (R), 34, Oshawa, Ontario

� JB ROCKET Jonathan Cox (L), 18, Lenoir, North Carolina Brandon Green (R), 23, Lucedale, Mississippi

� MATT & KEEIRA Matt Boggs (L), 23, Richardson, Texas Keeira Lyn Ford (R), 24, San Dimas, California

� ABBY & HOLLY Abby Fender (R), 25, Tyler, Texas Holly Jackson (L), 30, Pekin, Indiana

� RYAN & AVALON Ryan Larkins (R), 22, Nashville, Tennessee Avalon Peacock (L), 25, Woodstock, New York

� MEMARIE & KASSIE Memarie Gayle (R), 37, Baskin, Louisiana Kassie Miller (L), 26, Somerville, Alabama

Unlike other talent competition shows, each contestant on CAN YOU DUET will compete as part of a duo, sometimes working with different partners as the competition progresses. As a result, viewers will witness first-hand all the on and off-stage drama to be had in creating a dynamic musical duo. In addition to critiquing each performance and deciding who will advance to the next round, be sent home, and ultimately be crowned country music's next great duo, Judd, Borchetta and Big Kenny will also serve as mentors to guide, groom and develop the duos along the way.

"Can You Duet" is produced by FremantleMedia North America. Jeff Boggs (Nashville Star, Spy TV) is executive producer. Bob Kusbit, John Hamlin and Melanie Moreau serve as executive producers for CMT.

About CMT

CMT, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and Heartland entertainment, reaching more than 88.5 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.

About FremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. production division of global media giant FremantleMedia. Based in Burbank, California, FMNA produces entertaining and innovative television programs for network, cable and syndicated platforms, including the Emmy-nominated musical/reality phenomenon "American Idol" (FOX), "American Idol Rewind" (syndicated), "American Idol Extra" (Fox Reality), "America's Got Talent" (NBC), "Celebrity Family Feud" (NBC), "The Osbournes: Reloaded" (FOX), "Hole In The Wall" (FOX), "Farmer Wants A Wife" (The CW), "The Phone" (MTV), "Rock The Cradle" (MTV), "Can You Duet" (CMT), "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" (Oxygen), "Match Game" (TBS), "Family Feud" (syndicated), "Million Dollar Password" (CBS), and the longest-running game show in television history, "The Price Is Right" (CBS).

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 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, 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 300 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.