THE "BAYOU BILLIONAIRES" STRIKE IT RICH ON CMT PREMIERING SATURDAY, JANUARY 21

New Series Features the Adventures of the Newly-Wealthy Dowden Family of Shreveport, Louisiana

NASHVILLE - December 8, 2011 - In a modern day rags to riches story, CMT's new series BAYOU BILLIONAIRES tells the story of the Dowdens of Shreveport, La. - a hardworking family of modest means who recently discovered that their home sits on the fourth largest deposit of natural gas in the United States. After years of pinching pennies and balancing budgets, the over-the-top Dowdens are ready to enjoy the finer things in life, sparing no expense. BAYOU BILLIONAIRES follows Gerald and Kitten and the rest of their family as they experience the perks of belonging to a brand new tax bracket, premiering on Saturday, January 21 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT on CMT.

Each half-hour episode features this outrageous family reaping the benefits of their new fortune, from hiring personal trainers and exploring new business ventures, to traveling to places they never imagined they'd go. In the series premiere, the entire family takes the local country club by storm when they pay a visit to see how the other half lives.

The close-knit Dowden family includes a colorful cast of characters who each have their own plans for living the American Dream. Led by patriarch, Gerald, and matriarch, Kitten, the family includes daughter Valerie, an outspoken, single mother of three who works for the public defender's office in Shreveport; daughter Chantel and her offbeat, live-in boyfriend Albert (aka Carl; aka Jimmy) whose hilarious exploits and anecdotes keep things very, very interesting; adventurous son Gerald Jr. and his wife Peggy; and the youngest son Thomas, who admits to being his mother's favorite, and his wife Mallory. Kitten's 90-year-old father, Grandpa, is a ladies' man that often spends his time talking on the phone to his many girlfriends.

A 10-episode series, BAYOU BILLIONAIRES is produced by Magilla Entertainment. Brian Flanagan, Matt Ostrom, Laura Palumbo Johnson and Brad Johnson serve as executive producers. Eliot Goldberg and Jayson Dinsmore serve as executive producers for CMT.

CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 93 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.