CMT'S HIT SERIES "THE SINGING BEE" RETURNS THIS SUMMER

New Episodes Begin Wednesday, June 9 Immediately Following the "2010 CMT MUSIC AWARDS"

NASHVILLE - June 3, 2010 - Summer is here and the buzz is back as CMT's hit series, THE SINGING BEE, returns for its summer premiere beginning Wednesday, June 9 at 10:30 p.m., ET/PT immediately following the 2010 CMT MUSIC AWARDS. Hosted by Melissa Peterman, new weekly, one-hour episodes of THE SINGING BEE promise more laughs and excitement than ever before with new music selections and hilarious contestants.

Blending a mix of country music with popular favorites from other genres, THE SINGING BEE tests contestants' knowledge of lyrics to well-known songs and those who fail to accurately sing the correct lyrics are eliminated from the competition. Establishing itself as perfect family entertainment, THE SINGING BEE ended its original run on CMT and ranks as the network's highest-rated series of the year. Full episodes of the first season of THE SINGING BEE are available online at http://www.cmt.com/shows/series/singing_bee/episodes.jhtml.

Peterman will host the CMT MUSIC AWARDS RED CARPET 2010 live on Wednesday, June 9 at 7:00 p.m., ET/PT on CMT and CMT.com. She also recently starred in her first televised special MELISSA PETERMAN: AM I THE ONLY ONE and will star in the pilot WORKING CLASS, both for CMT. She has also starred in "Reba" as well as other television shows, including "Surviving Suburbia," "Rita Rocks," "Just Shoot Me," "Living with Abandon." She has hosted CMT's COMEDY STAGE as well as the annual Hollywood Bowl's "The Sound of Music" Sing-A-Long. Peterman was recently signed to Big Machine Records to release her first comedy album and is currently on tour with Reba, George Strait and Lee Ann Womack.

THE SINGING BEE is produced by The Gurin Company and JUMA Entertainment. Executive Producers are Bob Horowitz and Phil Gurin. Co-Executive Producers are Lewis Fenton and Brennan Huntington. Claire McCabe along with Bob Kusbit and John Hamlin serve as executive producers for 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 entertainment, reaching more than 90 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 JUMA Entertainment

JUMA Entertainment was created in 2005 when Bob Horowitz, then head of IMG's U.S. television arm, left the global sports and entertainment management firm to form his media company. With offices on both coasts, JUMA Entertainment has emerged as an industry leader in cross-platform show creation, media consulting and program packaging, as well as in the staging and televising of made-for-TV events. Its projects and credits include: "The Superstars" (ABC), "The Singing Bee" (CMT), "Tattoo Highway" (A&E), "Double Exposure" (BRAVO), "Fashion Rocks" (CBS), "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials" (CBS), nineteen editions of the popular "Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest" (CBS), and "Battle of the Network Reality Stars" (BRAVO).

About The Gurin Company

The Gurin Company is a globally focused, full-service independent production company that produces, develops and distributes television properties with worldwide appeal. A brand synonymous with quality series and specials, The Gurin Company's current projects include "Miss Universe," "Singing Bee," "The Hand (La Main)" - France, and the upcoming "Funny Farm" - Germany. The company currently has shows either on the air or in development in 32 different countries. The Gurin Company enjoys relationships with top production companies and Hollywood talent in addition to distributors and broadcasters around the world.