"THE 46th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS" TO BE BROADCAST LIVE NOVEMBER 1 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK

"CMA Country Christmas" Tapes November 3 at the Bridgestone Arena

The Country Music Association and ABC Television Network have announced that "The 46th Annual CMA Awards" will air THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

"The CMA Awards recognizes the best in the format - that's what makes this 'Country Music's Biggest Night,'" said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "The CMA Awards is one of the most highly anticipated events for our industry each year. It's a night to honor our finest performers, songwriters, record producers, musicians and music video directors."

The 2011 CMA Awards was the No. 1 entertainment show for the week among the key advertising Adults 18-49 sales demographic. The special beat its nearest competition by 5.6 million viewers and by 26 percent in Adults 18-49, according to Nielsen. Held during November Sweeps (November 9), "The 45th Annual CMA Awards" on ABC dominated the night, winning all six of its half-hours in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. With a primetime sweep, ABC finished No. 1 on the night in Viewers across all key demos, including Adults, Men and Women (18-34/18-49/25-54), as well as finishing as the top broadcaster with Teens (12-17). In Total Viewers (16.4 million; 17.49 Live+7) and Adults 18-49 (4.8/13; 5.2/14 Live+7), it was ABC's strongest Wednesday in two years, with an estimated 35 million viewers watching at least some portion of the three-hour, live gala.

The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 11,000 industry professional members of CMA, which was the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music in 1958.

Winners of "The 46th Annual CMA Awards" will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

The eligibility period for the 2012 CMA Awards is July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. All voting for "The 46th Annual CMA Awards" will be conducted online. The first ballot and instructions will be e-mailed June 25 to CMA members in good standing who are eligible to vote. Voting for the first ballot closes at 5:00 p.m., CT, on July 9.

The second ballot will be e-mailed to CMA members on August 9. Voting for the second ballot closes at 5:00 p.m., CT, on August 21. The final nominees in each of the 12 categories will be announced in early September.

The third and final ballot will be e-mailed to CMA members on October 4. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends at 5:00 p.m., CT, on October 22.

Rounding out events during CMA Awards Week will be the taping of "CMA Country Christmas," Saturday, November 3 at the Bridgestone Arena, when Country Music's biggest stars come together to celebrate the holidays. The special airs on ABC during the holiday season.

Ticket information for the CMA Awards and CMA Country Christmas will be announced later this summer.

"The 46th Annual CMA Awards" and "CMA Country Christmas" are productions of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer and Paul Miller is the director of both specials. Both specials will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

The first "CMA Awards Banquet and Show" was held in 1967. The following year the CMA Awards was broadcast on NBC Television for the first time - making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television. The Awards aired on NBC through 1971, on the CBS Television Network from 1972 through 2005, and has aired on ABC since 2006. ABC will be the network home of the CMA Awards and "CMA Country Christmas" through 2021.