The Recording Academy and CBS announce new 10-year agreement for the Grammy Awards

The Recording Academy and CBS announced today plas for a new 10-year contract to l keep the annual Grammy Awards broadcast, or  "Music's Biggest Night" on CBS through 2021.  The new agreement extends one of the longest broadcast partnerships in television history even further.  The Grammy Awards have been broadcasted on CBS since 1973. This year's 54th Annual Grammy Awards can be seen on CBS live on Sunday, Feb. 12 2012, from the Staples Center in Los Angeles beginning at 8 p.m, ET/PT.

"We are so pleased to continue our longstanding partnership with our friends at CBS, which has grown beyond our signature Grammy Awards event," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy.  "We have consistently collaborated to ensure that a dynamic, fresh and diverse live telecast is presented, and we are proud of the collective growth and results we have achieved.  In recent years, we have worked diligently to develop new Grammy programming that celebrates music throughout the year and now, with many more nights of great music and television ahead of us, we look forward to continuing to expand our brand and partnership."

"We are excited to be the home of the Grammys for another decade and to continue our long and mutually beneficial partnership with The Recording Academy," said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation.  "The long-term structure of this deal will provide even greater continuity with marketing and sales opportunities for both organizations for an event that continues to grow in size and scope — both culturally and commercially."

"CBS and the Grammys continue to be a partnership of two great brands combining to create one of television's most celebrated nights," said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment.  "It is an event that has become an entertainment force in generating audience, social media conversation and music sales."

The 10-year agreement also plans to continue the annual broadcast of "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live— Countdown to Music's Biggest Night", the one-hour special preceding the awards telecast with performances by past Grammy winners and/or nominees, as well as nominations in several categories.  This year, the special will be broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 from Los Angeles .  This will be the fourth year in a row that nominations for the annual Grammy Awards will be announced live on primetime television.

Also in the contract is the addition of a new, two-hour series of Grammy specials. More details will be released in the near future.