APOLLO LIVE -- CENTRIC's New Talent Competition Series -- To Hold Auditions in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Atlanta

Hosted by Comedian Tony Rock, the New Talent Competition will Feature Judges Michael Bivins and Doug E. Fresh

NEW YORK, May 4, 2012 --

WHAT:

CENTRIC, BET Network's signature channel kicks off auditions for its new original series APOLLO LIVE. Inspired by the Apollo's legendary Amateur Night and hosted by comedian/actor Tony Rock, the show will include new, exciting elements such as a judging panel featuring R&B producer/artist Michael Bivins and hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh.

WHERE:

NEW YORK Saturday, May 5th and Sunday, May 6th Apollo Theater 253 West 125th St., New York, NY 10027 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

WASHINGTON, D.C. Tuesday, May 8th and Wednesday, May 9th THEARC Theater Building Bridges across the River at THEARC 1901 Mississippi Ave. SE, Suite 101, Washington, D.C. 20020 12:00 p.m. - 6 p.m.

CHICAGO Friday, May 11th and Saturday, May 12th Navy Pier 600 E. Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 12:00 p.m. - 6 p.m. (on 5/11) 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (on 5/12)

ATLANTA Saturday, May 19th and Sunday, May 20th Center Stage 1374 West Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Contestants should log on to www.BET.com/Apollo for a complete set of the rules and eligibility requirements.

APOLLO LIVE marks the legendary Apollo Theater's return to television after the successful 21-year run of the popular Showtime at the Apollo and will be taped in front of a live audience at the Theater. The series will draw upon elements and traditions from the Apollo's long-running weekly live Amateur Night show, including audience voting, and the infamous "Executioner" who sweeps unsuccessful performers off the stage. APOLLO LIVE is a BET Production and is executive produced by Jamie Foxx, Marcus King and Don Weiner.

For more information and to check for location updates, please visit http://www.CentricTV.com. For up-to-the-minute information, follow us on Twitter @CentricTV.

About CENTRIC

Centric is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel that reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today's African-American and multicultural adult viewer. With a finger on the pulse of an ever-changing beat, its compelling music content fuses Soul, R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, Old School, New School and everything in between with today's hottest artists. It is a unique mix of music, culture and lifestyle programming that embodies the lives, tastes and aspirations of the CENTRIC viewer: All you. All day. All night.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET operates in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About the Apollo Theater

The Apollo is a national treasure that has had significant impact on the development of American culture and its popularity around the world. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr., James Brown, Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo's stage. The Apollo Theater's new artistic vision builds on its legacy. New Apollo programming has music as its core, driving large scale and more intimate music, dance and theater presentations. The Apollo will continue to present historically relevant presentations, as well as more forward-looking, contemporary work. Based on its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and city landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org.