Academy of Country Music Awards Postponed Due to COVID-19 Outbreak
The 55th annual Academy of Country Music Awards has officially been postponed as a result of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The Las Vegas ceremony, originally scheduled to air on CBS April 5, will be bumped to September.
A release from the academy states that “the health and safety of our artists, fans industry, staff and partners is our number one priority.”
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The ceremony’s new date, time and venue all are to be determined.
“The ACM Awards is a tentpole event for our country music industry, and the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions went to great lengths to find a safe solution for the show to go on so that we can honor our artist community,” Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, said via statement. “This decision involved many partners, stakeholders and the industry who we have been in constant conversations with over the past several days as the situation has developed. We look forward to identifying a future date that we can celebrate with our country community safely.”
Last April’s broadcast of the Academy of Country Music Awards delivered nearly 10 million total viewers along with a 1.6 demo rating for CBS, down 10 and 24 percent from the year prior yet still dominating that Sunday night in both measures. Among major awards shows televised in the past 12 months, in total audience the ACMAs only trailed the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the CMA Awards, while outdrawing the Emmys, Tonys and American Music Awards.
This postponement is one of many TV changes taking place due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Likewise, over 90 shows have delayed production or halted it all together.
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