SEASON PREMIERE

AMERICA'S FAVORITE MUSIC COMPETITION SERIES 'AMERICAN IDOL' RETURNS TO TELEVISION IN A TWO-HOUR PREMIERE, ON ITS NEW HOME ON AMERICA'S NETWORK - ABC

"101 (Auditions)" - The gold standard of all music competition series, "American Idol," will make its highly anticipated return to television as superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie set out on a journey across the nation to discover a new crop of inspiring talent with a touch of Disney magic, as it premieres its first season at its new home on America's network, The ABC Television Network, SUNDAY, MARCH 11 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), streaming and on demand. Emmy(R) Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest, who represents the heart and soul of the show, returns as host of the beloved series to walk with these Idol hopefuls through this adventure toward stardom.

After searching the country for the best of the best talent America has to offer, viewers will be taken on a journey through the stories of talented musicians from far and wide - from garage band rockers to national anthem singers to caretakers - who all have the same passion: a love for music. In the first audition episode, the show will head to New York, Los Angeles and Nashville where aspiring singers will audition for a chance to see if they have what it takes to earn the coveted golden ticket to Hollywood.

"American Idol" is produced by FremantleMedia North America and CORE Media Group's 19 Entertainment. Executive producers include FremantleMedia North America's Trish Kinane and Jennifer Mullin, along with executive producer Phil McIntyre representing CORE Media. FremantleMedia International distributes the series worldwide.

About ABC Entertainment

ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, with new shows including fall's No. 1 new drama, "The Good Doctor," and "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World"; and current hits such as 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 Award-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," iconic "The 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" and "The American 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 and 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 premium content for linear television and digital platforms. Through partnerships with well-established industry leaders including Sharp Entertainment, as well as B17 Entertainment and its newly formed digital studio Thumb Candy, the company creates additional multi-platform programming of various genres for audiences nationwide. Through CMG's 19 Entertainment, it also co-produces "American Idol," the gold standard of music competition programs, with FremantleMedia, and the enduring franchise "So You Think You Can Dance" with dick clark productions.