CELEBRITIES TACKLE THE CHALLENGE OF THEIR CAREERSIN THE NEW CMT SERIES "GONE COUNTRY"

Nashville Hitmaker John Rich Guides Cast of Mainstream Talent, Including Bobby Brown, Carnie Wilson, Dee Snider, Diana DeGarmo, Julio Iglesias Jr, Maureen McCormick and Sisqo For a Chance at Country Music Stardom

NASHVILLE � October 18, 2007 � Known for pushing the limits of mainstream country music with the genre-bending Muzik Mafia, John Rich, of the hit country duo Big & Rich, takes on his biggest challenge yet in the new CMT series, GONE COUNTRY. Premiering in January 2008, this six-episode series takes seven established performers from every realm of the entertainment and music industries and immerses them in all things country for a chance to break out as the next big country superstar. Production is currently underway in Nashville.

The series features an eclectic cast of performers including:

- Bobby Brown � R&B singer, former member of New Edition

- Carnie Wilson � singer/songwriter, former member of Wilson Phillips and author

- Dee Snider � radio personality, lead singer Twisted Sister

- Diana DeGarmo � recording artist, Broadway actor and American Idol finalist, 2004

- Julio Iglesias Jr � pop singer

- Maureen McCormick � singer/actor, "The Brady Bunch"

- Sisqo � R&B singer, former member of the group Dru Hill

GONE COUNTRY uproots these seven musical celebrities and moves them into a Nashville mansion together to embark on a two-week adventure, hosted by singer/songwriter John Rich. Each celebrity will be paired up with some of Nashville's finest songwriters in an attempt to prepare them for a career in country music. In each episode, the cast competes against each other in challenges that will test them musically and physically to adapt to a country music lifestyle, both on and off the stage. At the end of the two weeks, the artist that is most prepared to impress a country audience, as determined by Rich, will record and release a song.

GONE COUNTRY is executive produced by David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe of Renegade 83 Productions. Marc Oswald serves as executive producer. Melanie Moreau and Bob Kusbit serve as executive producers for CMT.

Texas native, John Rich, most recently known as one half of the multi-platinum Warner Bros. duo, Big & Rich, has made a name for himself as an artist in his own right, as both a producer and an award winning songwriter. Because of his contributions to the songwriting and music industry community, Rich has been awarded the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award every year since 2005, becoming the only artist to receive the award three years consecutively. In June 2007, Big & Rich, released their third album, Between Raising Hell And Amazing Grace, which went on to spawn the duo�s first number one single, "Lost In This Moment." Big & Rich�s latest single, "Between Raising Hell And Amazing Grace" is currently climbing up the charts.

CMT, a unit of Viacom�s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and Heartland entertainment, reaching more than 87 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 unit of Viacom , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 137 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.