ABC'S 'AMERICAN IDOL' HITS THE ROAD

Auditions to Take Place in 19 Cities Across America

Simultaneous East and West Bus Tours Commence Thursday, August 17 in Orlando, Florida, and Portland, Oregon

Exactly fifteen years ago, "American Idol" hit TV screens for the first time, forever changing the landscape of reality competition programming. In celebration of the franchise's anniversary, which also marks the birth year of this season's youngest eligible contestant, the producers of "American Idol" announced today the start of auditions for the new season of the show, which will be broadcast from its new home on ABC. The nationwide search for the next superstar kicks off on THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, as the Idol Bus jumps into gear across America, offering hopefuls the chance to audition for a shot at superstardom.

From Portland, Oregon, to Orlando, Florida, "American Idol" will search every corner of the nation in its pursuit for talent. Auditioning has never been easier, with the series also taking to the internet, offering hopefuls the opportunity to submit audition videos online at www.americanidol.com or by showing off their talent via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Musical.ly using the hashtag #TheNextIdol.

"American Idol" auditions will be held as follows (subject to change):

West Bus Tour East Bus Tour
Portland, OR - Aug 17 Orlando, FL - Aug 17
Oakland, CA - Aug 20 Miami, FL - Aug 19
Provo, UT - Aug 23 Atlanta, GA - Aug 22
Denver, CO - Aug 26 Charleston, SC - Aug 25
Omaha, NE - Aug 29 Asheville, NC - Aug 27
Tulsa, OK - Sept 1 Louisville, KY - Aug 30
Shreveport, LA - Sept 4 Pittsburgh, PA - Sept 3
Muscle Shoals, AL - Sept 7 Annapolis, MD - Sept 5
Boston, MA - Sept 8

Open Audition Cities
Chicago, IL - Sept 11
New Orleans, LA - Sept 14

You must be at least 15 years old to audition. Please visit www.americanidol.com for more details on specific audition locations, full eligibility requirements, submission forms, terms and conditions.

"American Idol" is produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, a division of CORE Media Group. Executive producers include FremantleMedia North America's Trish Kinane and Jennifer Mullin along with co-executive producer, Megan Wolflick. FremantleMedia International distributes the series worldwide.

About ABC Entertainment

ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, with current hits including groundbreaking dramas "Designated Survivor," "Quantico," "Scandal" "How to Get Away with Murder," "Grey's Anatomy," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "Once Upon a Time." The ABC Television Network is also home to the Emmy-winning "Modern Family" and trailblazing comedy favorites "black-ish," "American Housewife," "Fresh Off the Boat," "The Goldbergs," "The Middle" and "Speechless"; hit game shows "$100,000 Pyramid," "Celebrity Family Feud," "Match Game" and "To Tell the Truth"; reality phenomenon "Shark Tank," the iconic "Bachelor" franchise, long-running hits "Dancing with the Stars" and "America's Funniest Home Videos," and the return of "American Idol"; "General Hospital," which has aired for over 50 years on the network, along with daytime talk show "The Chew"; and late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live." The network also boasts some of television's most prestigious awards shows, including "The Oscars(R)," "The CMA Awards," "The American Music Awards" and "The Billboard Music Awards."

About FremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. arm of global media giant FremantleMedia, which includes a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division and a kids & family entertainment business. As one of the world's largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of TV brands in the world, FremantleMedia's comprehensive global network has operations in 31 countries, creating over 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 45 formats and managing over 350 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. For more information follow us @FMNATV and visit our Facebook page.

About CORE Media Group

CORE Media Group (CMG) is a leading independent media and entertainment company that creates quality programming for linear television and digital platforms through its in-house creative team, as well as a myriad of partnerships with well-established industry leaders including Sharp Entertainment and B-17. Through CMG's19 Entertainment, it co-produces "American Idol," the gold standard of music competition programs, and the enduring franchise, "So You Think You Can Dance" (returning on FOX for a 14th season). CMG's 19 Recordings has been a part of the successful music careers of platinum artists Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Colton Dixon, just to name a few. The newest television series under the CORE umbrella include "The Wall" for NBC and "Caraoke Showdown" for Spike.