The Recording Academy® and CBS to Launch GRAMMY® Live on GRAMMY.com and CBS.com Along with a Mobile App, Giving Music Fans Multi-Screen Experience of Events Leading Up to Music's Biggest Night®

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Recording Academy® (www.grammy.com) and CBS (www.cbs.com) announced the launch of GRAMMY® Live on GRAMMY.com (www.grammy.com/live) and CBS.com (www.cbs.com/shows/grammys/live/) beginning Friday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. PT. The GRAMMY Live mobile app (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grammy-live/id494727531?mt=8), available now for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users, provides a complete backstage pass to Music's Biggest Night®. For the third year in a row, music fans worldwide will have unprecedented access to all the VIP and backstage events leading up to and throughout the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards, airing Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

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Beginning Friday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. PT, and running through Sunday, Feb. 12, GRAMMY Live will feature three days of exclusive live videos, blogging, tweets and retweets, as well as official news reports and entertaining updates from GRAMMY Live hosts Alison Haislip, Drew Hinze, and John Norris. Exclusive behind-the-scenes GRAMMY cams will give the audience an insider's view into some of the hottest GRAMMY Week events, including the Social Media Rock Stars Summit; MusiCares® Person of the Year Tribute honoring Paul McCartney; Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception; the Pre-GRAMMY Gala, as well as an exclusive live performance by Almost Kings, winners of CBS.com's From Your Garage To GRAMMY Live contest (https://www.facebook.com/TheGrammys?sk=app_207367796002477).

On Sunday, Feb. 12, GRAMMY Live will kick off with the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards red-carpet arrivals, the Pre-Telecast Ceremony and the official GRAMMY Celebration after-party. Additional behind-the-scenes footage will offer viewers a "dual-screen" experience, complementing the CBS GRAMMY telecast with red-carpet coverage, backstage interviews, exclusive photo sessions with winners (with renowned photographer Danny Clinch), press room question-and-answer sessions, and past GRAMMY moments. Fans can check-in to "GRAMMY Live" via GetGlue during the three-day webcast to unlock an exclusive sticker.

"We're giving music fans the ultimate GRAMMY experience this year through GRAMMY Live," said Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer for The Recording Academy. "We connect with music in very personal ways, and through shared, social experiences, fans are more eager than ever to support and follow their favorite artists in new and exciting ways."

"We're excited to be partnering with The Recording Academy to bring music fans this incredible multi-platform experience," said Marc DeBevoise, senior vice president and general manager of entertainment at CBS Interactive. "By making this program available in so many ways, we're catering to all music fans, giving them an exclusive virtual ticket to the biggest music event of the year on any device."

Mobile users will also be able to view GRAMMY Live by downloading the new GRAMMY Live mobile app, which offers videos, news about GRAMMY nominees and presenters, and GRAMMY trivia. The app's interactive features include a "Guess the Winner" poll, where fans can cast their vote for who they think will win across 20 categories. The app also integrates comprehensive social media coverage of the event and lets users follow and reply to tweets from the official GRAMMY Twitter account (@TheGRAMMYs), along with the Twitter accounts of many GRAMMY contenders this year. Additionally, users can access a live stream of GRAMMY nominees' music on GRAMMY Radio. The free app, sponsored by Target, is available for download in the App Store. Android™-powered device users can download the app from the Android Market™, where it is called The GRAMMYs*.

GRAMMY Live Technology Partners
AEG Digital Media (www.aegdigitalmedia.com) has returned for the third consecutive year to live stream the entire three days of GRAMMY Live. Using its feature-rich, multi-camera angle Tremolo Player and the MC —  a new interactive polling app that allows viewers to answer trivia questions, participate in polls, and see interesting stats and announcements — online spectators will become participants as they watch their favorite performers arrive and vote for who is best dressed on Music's Biggest Night. To complement this, The Recording Academy will utilize new partner Mass Relevance's (www.massrelevance.com) social curation platform to filter, moderate, and publish interactive social content into the GRAMMY Live and GRAMMY.com experience, delivering increased social engagement.

GRAMMY Live will once again leverage Akamai's (www.akamai.com) global distribution HD network for live streaming and video on demand to power extensive live and on-demand streaming. Additionally, LiveU (www.liveu.tv) technology will be utilized, allowing live footage to stream without being "hard-wired." Thanks to mobile backpacks that bond wireless services together utilizing a LiveU proprietary  antenna and HD-quality video transmission, spotty connectivity is overcome in low-coverage or congested areas.

The Recording Academy has also partnered with the most progressive online companies and leveraged the best of both open-source and proprietary technologies to deliver a cohesive, exciting and more enriching user experience for GRAMMY.com and GRAMMY.org, including Drupal (www.drupal.com), Lullabot (www.lullabot.com), Ooyala (www.ooyala.com), and Rackspace (www.rackspace.com).

*Android version of the GRAMMY app does not include GRAMMY Live and GRAMMY Radio.

About The Recording Academy

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on YouTube, Tumblr, Foursquare, GetGlue, and Instagram.

About CBS Interactive

CBS Interactive is the premier online content network for information and entertainment. Its brands dive deep into the things people care most about across news, sports, entertainment, technology and business.  Leading properties include CNET, CBS.com, Gamespot.com,  CBSSports.com,  CBSNews.com,  TV.com and much more. With hundreds of millions of unique visitors from around the world each month, CBS Interactive is a global top 10 Web property and the largest premium content network online.

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SOURCE The Recording Academy