FOX BROADCASTING COMPANY, SYCO ENTERTAINMENT AND FREMANTLEMEDIA ANNOUNCE HONDA AS AN OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF "THE X FACTOR(R)"

Season Three of THE X FACTOR Kicks Off with Two-Night Season Premiere Event, Wednesday, September 11 and Thursday, September 12, on FOX

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX), Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America today announced Honda as an official sponsor for the third season of THE X FACTOR(R).

To help launch the redesigned 2014 Odyssey minivan, Honda has partnered with THE X FACTOR as the official automotive sponsor for Season Three. The campaign will feature three in-show integrations, digital voting sponsorship and off-air rights, as well as ownership of Fan Rewards. The Fan Rewards program provides incentives to fans for clicking and interacting their way through THE X FACTOR digital landscape with points to use for exclusive show and Honda merchandise.

"Families across the U.S. have a very personal relationship with their Hondas, and integrating our vehicles into one of America's top-rated programs allows us to extend that connection to THE X FACTOR viewers and participants," said Michael Accavitti, Senior Vice President of auto operations at American Honda. "As a part of our season-long sponsorship, the redesigned 2014 Odyssey will be an integral part of the contestant experience, and our engagement with THE X FACTOR community will extend beyond the show through a robust social media and online presence."

Featuring judges Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio, and hosted by Mario Lopez, the hit music competition series will launch with a two-night season premiere event on Wednesday, Sept. 11 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Sept. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

Last season, Tate Stevens was crowned THE X FACTOR Season Two winner and was awarded a recording contract, as well as production and creative support to develop, create, record and shoot his first original track and music video. Stevens' video debuted as a commercial during the live telecast of the "55th Annual GRAMMY Awards(R)" and soon after, he released his first single, "Power of a Love Song," and his self-titled debut album.

Artists discovered by THE X FACTOR have sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including 130 No. 1s and 350 Top 10 records. Season Two breakout groups Fifth Harmony and Emblem3 are already international stars. Fifth Harmony's debut single, "Miss Movin On," reached Top 5 in 7 countries, and their performance on "The Today Show Summer Concert Series" was the most tweeted event of the summer. Fifth Harmony will be opening for "The X Factor UK" breakout star Cher Lloyd on her "I Wish" tour. Emblem3 is joining Selena Gomez on her "Stars Dance" arena tour series. Their newly released album, "Nothing To Lose," debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200, making it the biggest-selling debut album from any competition series in 2013. Emblem3 won a Teen Choice Award for "Breakout Band."

"The X Factor" format has created more global superstars, including One Direction, Leona Lewis, Little Mix, Cher Lloyd and Olly Murs, than any other singing competition television show. THE X FACTOR is now aired in 205 countries, and local versions of "The X Factor" are now commissioned in 45 territories.

THE X FACTOR was created by Syco Entertainment and is produced by Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Nigel Hall are executive producers for Syco Television. Trish Kinane, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America. "Like" THE X FACTOR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheXFactorUSA. Follow the series on Twitter @TheXFactorUSA and join the discussion using #xfactor. Download The Xtra Factor App at www.TheXFactorUSA.com/mobileapps.

About Honda

Honda offers a complete lineup of cars and trucks through a network of more than 1,000 dealerships in the United States. In 2013, Honda marks 40 years of the Civic model, with more than 30 years of producing automobiles in the region, which began with the Accord in Marysville, Ohio, in November 1982. Having produced more than 25 million vehicles in North America through 2012 using domestic and globally sourced parts, Honda currently operates 14 major manufacturing facilities in North America, producing a wide range of Honda automobiles, all-terrain vehicles, power equipment products, engines and transmissions.

About Syco Entertainment /Simon Cowell

Syco Entertainment is a joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony Music and is one of the world's leading global music, film and television production companies responsible for some of the world's most successful global TV and music franchises. Syco Entertainment is also the world's most successful producer of international talent, with Syco Music being the record label home for such diverse international recording artists as Labrinth, One Direction, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Little Mix, IL Divo, Cheryl Lloyd, Tate Stevens, Emblem3, Fifth Harmony, James Arthur and Ella Henderson. Syco's television assets include the global franchises "The X Factor" and "Got Talent." "The X Factor" was created by Syco Entertainment and is produced by Syco Entertainment and Fremantle Media. Local versions of "The X Factor" are produced in more than 45 territories and the U.S. version of "The X Factor" airs in over 205 countries. In 2012, "Got Talent" became the world's biggest selling TV format and is now commissioned in 56 countries as a local format. In 2013, Syco continues to capitalize on the ongoing success of its established global hit TV formats and a number of new projects, including two feature films: One Direction's 3-D movie, "This Is Us," with Sony Pictures; and "One Chance," a film based on the success story of "Britain's Got Talent's" first winner, Paul Potts, in association with the Weinstein Company. Syco Entertainment has partnered with Stage Entertainment to create a comedy musical based on The X Factor, titled "I Can't Sing!" set to open in 2014 in the UK.

About FremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. production division of global media giant FremantleMedia. Based in Burbank, CA, FMNA produces entertaining and innovative programs for network, cable, syndicated and online platforms, including the Emmy Award-nominated musical/reality phenomenon AMERICAN IDOL (FOX), THE X FACTOR (FOX), "America's Got Talent" (NBC), "Family Feud" (SYN), "The Price Is Right" (CBS), "Let's Make A Deal" (CBS), "Total Blackout" (Syfy), "Married to Medicine" (Bravo), "The Pet Collective" (BlipTV), "Perfect Score," (The CW), "The Tomorrow People" (The CW) and "Psychic Tia" (A+E). The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, FremantleMedia UK, FremantleMedia Australia, Ludia, @radical.media and Original Productions, among others) has one of the most comprehensive global networks with operations in 22 countries, creating over 9,200 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 150 countries. FremantleMedia is part of RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network, which is in turn 75% owned by the international media company Bertelsmann.