We've Got Another Hot One, America! Cingular's Text Messaging Results Set New Record on the Fifth Season of Fox's 'American Idol'

ATLANTA, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless announced today it has shattered its own record for wireless text messaging during the fifth season of "American Idol." Cingular recorded more than 64.5 million text messages throughout the show's season, breaking last year's record of 41.5 million text messages. Text messages include votes, trivia, sweepstakes entries, TXT chats, fan club and vote number reminder.

Another Great Season of Idol-themed Content

Cingular introduced a lot of great "American Idol"-themed content this season, but its newest offering, Live Idol Tones, stole the show. Cingular broke new ground in the music industry with the tones letting Cingular customers purchase and download ringtones and answer tones of select "American Idol" performances* just 24 hours after they were performed live on the show. Typically, traditional recorded music requires months to go from recording to distribution. Last week, Cingular's Live Idol Tones category of ringtones was one of the top sellers, and the company expects the same stellar performance again this week.

"We are pleased to have played a role in what was another great season of 'American Idol'," said John Burbank, vice president of marketing, Cingular Wireless. "We knocked Idol-related text messaging out of the ballpark and added another home run with our Live Idol Tones which capitalized on the passion 'American Idol' fans have for their favorite contestants."

Cingular customers also had exclusive wireless access to "American Idol" throughout the season with services including TXT chats with Idol contestants, and convenient vote number reminders listing all of the "American Idol" contestants who performed that week. In addition, Cingular customers also connected to the show through the Idol Wireless Fan Club which let them keep up with the latest Idol news, play Idol Trivia on their wireless devices or download "American Idol"-related ringtones such as the show's theme song, or songs from former Idol winners and contestants. And on May 23, Cingular awarded Joanne Petrella from Tampa, Florida a $100,000 prize when she won the Cingular "American Idol" $100,000 Trivia Challenge in Los Angeles before the show's finale. Hosted by former Idol contestant Tamyra Gray, Petrella competed against 16 other contestants and answered the most correct questions about "American Idol" history, former Idol contestants and memorable moments from the show. Trivia contestants were selected through text entries and Cingular radio promotions held in different cities throughout the country.

  *Pending clearance of music publisher

  About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 55.8 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS) , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER(TM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(R), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.

About American Idol

Fourteen-time Emmy-nominated "American Idol" is created and executive- produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Television; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Chief Operating Officer, Production, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; Nigel Lythgoe, President, 19 Television; and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.

About FremantleMedia

FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Americas (FLW, Americas) is the licensing arm of FremantleMedia for North and South America. FremantleMedia one of the largest international creators and producers of program brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories. FLW, Americas exploits FremantleMedia's many strong brands, including the award winning, American Idol, the world's longest running gameshow The Price Is Right, the ever-popular Family Feud, and other classic gameshows, across multiple off- screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, live events, sponsorship, interactive and wireless support, home entertainment and music publishing. FLW, Americas is also responsible for additional business diversification initiatives including 'Thumbdance', a pioneering wireless channel delivering original made-for-mobile video content on demand.

FLW, Americas is part of FremantleMedia North America (FMNA). FMNA is on the leading edge of global broadcast production, developing some of television's most innovative and watched new programming. Based in Santa Monica and with offices in New York, FMNA has produced such genre-bending shows as the musical/reality phenomenon American Idol. In 2005, FremantleMedia programs garnered 16 Emmy nominations, including six for American Idol. Other credits include The Price Is Right (CBS), the longest-running gameshow in television history, the daily syndicated gameshow Family Feud, the hotly debated reality series The Swan (Fox), the breakout hit lifestyle show How Clean Is Your House? (Lifetime), Distraction (Comedy Central), Property Ladder (TLC), American Inventor (ABC), the upcoming The Gameshow Marathon (CBS) and America's Got Talent (NBC).

FremantleMedia is the production arm of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company. With interests in 34 television channels and 30 radio stations in 10 countries, RTL Group is a division of leading integrated media and entertainment company Bertelsmann AG. For further information, visit http://www.fremantlemedia.com/.

About 19 Entertainment

19 Entertainment, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKXE) , was founded by Simon Fuller 21 years ago and acquired by CKX in March 2005. The company is recognized as a leading creator, provider and promoter of globally successful, music-based entertainment, or "Entertainment Brands."

Simon Fuller, who serves as Chief Executive Officer of 19 Entertainment, is the creator of AMERICAN IDOL in the United States, "Pop Idol" in the UK, as well as versions of the IDOL format in more than 30 countries around the world. Fuller is also the co-creator of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, which aired in the U.S. on FOX during summer 2005 and was the top-rated television show in its time slot.

Fuller has made music history in the UK and the U.S.A., producing a stream of No. 1 hits and managing multi-platinum-selling acts. Fuller recently became the world's most successful manager -- breaking a record set by the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in the 1960s -- when three of his artists occupied the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 positions on the U.S. single chart as well as the No. 1 position on the album chart.

American Idol(R) 19 TV Ltd. and FremantleMedia North America, Inc. Based on the television program "American Idol" produced by FremantleMedia North America, Inc. and 19 TV Ltd. Licensed by FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide. http://www.fremantlemedia.com/