FOX to Present 64th ANNUAL MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT Live from Las Vegas, 12/20

IMG and The MISS UNIVERSE Organization today announced "THE 64th ANNUAL MISS UNIVERSE® PAGEANT" has been picked up by FOX Broadcasting Company (FOX). The three-hour annual event will air live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday, Dec. 20 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. As part of IMG's agreement with FOX to broadcast MISS UNIVERSE®, the network will also have domestic rights to air MISS USA®.

"MISS UNIVERSE® is a unique, global media property and this partnership with FOX marks a new era for The MISS UNIVERSE Organization as a whole," said Michael Antinoro, SVP of Original Content, IMG. "As the broadcast leader in innovative and groundbreaking live events, FOX is the perfect partner as we look to implement new and exciting changes to this show and the franchise."

"The MISS UNIVERSE® and MISS USA® pageants are iconic television events loved by generations of viewers around the world," said David Madden, President, Entertainment, FOX Broadcasting Company. "We are very excited to partner with IMG and The MISS UNIVERSE Organization to infuse a fresh new energy into these perennial broadcast favorites."

Known for its energy and endless entertainment options, the city of Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino have hosted many MISS UNIVERSE® and MISS USA® pageants over the years.

"Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has been a fantastic partner to The MISS UNIVERSE Organization, and it will be a great home for THE 64th ANNUAL MISS UNIVERSE® PAGEANT," said Paula M. Shugart, President of The MISS UNIVERSE Organization. "The resort's AXIS Theater is a premier entertainment venue, and the ideal site for the pageant's inaugural broadcast on a new network."

The MISS UNIVERSE® telecast is one of the most-watched events in the world, with distribution in approximately 190 countries and territories. Contestants from more than 80 countries will vie to become the next MISS UNIVERSE in this special programming event, which will conclude with current MISS UNIVERSE Paulina Vega of Colombia crowning her successor.

The MISS USA® Pageant, which will air in 2016 on FOX, features contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The winner of MISS USA® goes on to compete for the title of Miss Universe.

As previously announced, WME | IMG wholly acquired The MISS UNIVERSE Organization in September 2015, expanding the company's portfolio of global events and media properties across entertainment and live events. Prior to the acquisition, IMG had produced a number of pageants for The MISS UNIVERSE Organization and will continue to do so with this year's MISS UNIVERSE® telecast.

About MISS UNIVERSE

The MISS UNIVERSE Organization (MUO) uses its global grassroots reach to empower women to be self-confident and strive to be their personal best. MUO believes that every woman should be "Confidently Beautiful." The MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA®, and MISS TEEN USA® beauty pageants provide an international platform through dedicated partnerships with charities, sponsors, and brands around the world. During their reign, the titleholders are given the tools to personally and professionally enrich others by providing humanitarian efforts to affect positive change, all while developing their personal career goals. For more information, and to learn more about Miss Universe's official cause to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS education and prevention around the world, please visit: www.missuniverse.com.

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 25 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world's greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages thousands of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is the world's largest independent producer and distributor of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world's leading entertainment agency, to form WME | IMG.

About FOX Broadcasting Company

FOX Broadcasting Company (FOX), a unit of 21st Century Fox, is home to some of the highest-rated and most acclaimed series on television, including EMPIRE, GOTHAM, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, SCREAM QUEENS, ROSEWOOD, AMERICAN IDOL, NEW GIRL, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, GRANDFATHERED, THE GRINDER, BOB'S BURGERS, THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY and SLEEPY HOLLOW. FOX airs 15 hours of primetime programming a week, as well as major sports and Sunday morning news. Through the FOX NOW app, FOX viewers can watch full episodes of their favorite FOX shows on a variety of digital platforms, while enjoying enhanced interactive and social capabilities around those shows. Download the FOX NOW app at www.fox.com/foxnow. "Like" FOX on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FOXTV and follow the network on Twitter @FOXTV. For additional information about FOX, please visit www.fox.com.

About Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is the centerpiece of the famed Las Vegas strip, with 2,500 beautifully designed guest rooms and suites showcasing some of the best views in town, and endless options of unparalleled shopping, distinguished dining, popular entertainment and a bustling nightlife. Planet Hollywood encompasses more than 100,000 square-feet of gaming, several lounges, ten restaurants including Gordon Ramsay BurGR, KOI, Strip House, the award-winning Spice Market Buffet, LA's Pink's Hot Dogs, Pin-Up Pizza and Ringers Wings, Pizza and Sliders, and the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara. The resort is also home to The AXIS Theater and its resident headliners Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez (opening Jan. 2016) and Lionel Richie (opening April 2016). The property is encircled by Miracle Mile Shops with more than 170 specialty stores and restaurants. For more information, visit www.planethollywoodresort.com. Find Planet Hollywood on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Find MISS UNIVERSE® on Facebook and YouTube, and follow on Twitter and Instagram. For additional information please visit www.missuniverse.com/.

To post a comment, you must register and login.