MTV TAPS STAPLES CENTER IN LOS ANGELES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AS THE HOST VENUE FOR THE 2012 "MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS"

TELECAST TO BROADCAST LIVE ON SEPTEMBER 6 FROM 8PM TO 10PM ET/PT

NEW YORK, NY (May 15, 2012) - For the first time ever, MTV is set to make STAPLES Center in Los Angeles the center of the music universe when the 2012 "Video Music Awards" airs LIVE on Thursday, September 6 from 8 - 10 PM ET / PT. STAPLES Center continues to distinguish itself as a world-class host of major, high-profile entertainment events of national and international distinction and now adds the "MTV Video Music Awards," the loudest and most influential music award show, to this list.

"STAPLES Center is incredibly excited to have the opportunity to host the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards," said Lee Zeidman, Sr. Vice President & General Manager of STAPLES Center. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with our partners at MTV and hosting this one of kind music event here at L.A. LIVE."

STAPLES Center VIP Private Suite Sales Info:

For the ultimate VIP group experience, Private Suites will be available for purchase. Call STAPLES Center Suite Sales Department (877) 234-8425 now to secure your spot on the priority list for suites.

MTV Video Music Awards

Since the first "MTV Video Music Awards" aired in 1984, the VMAs instantly earned its reputation for delivering the most popular bands and artists to create the loudest, most influential and at times, the most controversial, annual live celebration of music in the world. No other award show has been responsible for creating more memorable or bigger musical moments in pop culture history than the MTV Video Music Awards. From Madonna, Michael Jackson, Guns N' Roses and Nirvana to Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Beyoncé, an appearance on the VMA stage can forever change the trajectory of an artist's career in one single night.

The 2011 Video Music Awards scored MTV's biggest audience in the network's history with a record-breaking 12.4 million total viewers. Additionally, Beyoncé's big MTV #VMA pregnancy reveal moment at the 2011 Video Music Awards made social media history at the time by giving Twitter a record bump: 8,868 Tweets per second. To watch video of 2011's biggest VMA moments, and see the full list of winners as well as fashion, celebrity and music commentary from the shows' red carpets, please go to VMA.MTV.com.

The 2012 "MTV Video Music Awards" will air across MTV's global network of more than 60 channels reaching more than 600 million households around the world as well as through syndication. In addition, its convergent programming and content will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV's more than 200 digital media properties around the world. Ratings for the 2011 VMAs were up +30% YOY internationally, and the show was one of MTV's top performers in key markets across Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia.

About MTV:

MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

About STAPLES Center:

STAPLES Center, back-to-back recipients of the prestigious Pollstar-CIC Arena of the Year award, has clearly established itself as the sports and entertainment center of the world. As the home of four professional sports franchises - the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks - STAPLES Center has proven to be a home court advantage for the local teams. STAPLES Center continues to distinguish itself as the host of major, high-profile events of national and international distinction including the 2004 & 2011 NBA All-Star Game, the 2002 NHL All-Star Game, the 2000 Democratic National Convention and 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, twelve GRAMMY Award shows as well as the annual X Games competitions. STAPLES Center's thirteen years have also been marked with performances and special events that brought international stature to the downtown Los Angeles venue including concerts by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (who played the arena's first-ever public event on October 17, 1999), Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Usher, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Roger Waters, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Mana, Sade and Justin Timberlake, as well as world championship boxing including Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko for the World Heavyweight Championship. Hosting over 250 events a year, the arena's reputation for world-class amenities, features and commitment to quality of service and the guest experience is second to none.