Recording Academy to Offer Three-Days of Interactive Online Video Coverage of Grammy Awards

The Recording Academy announced Monday that it will, for the second year in a row, offer Grammy Live, a three-day line-up of live and on-demand interactive online coverage of the various VIP events leading up to the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards (take place Sunday, February 13th), as well as behind-the-scenes coverage from the awards event itself. Available on both the Academy's own Grammy.com Web site (http://www.grammy.com/live) and on YouTube, the coverage is slated to begin at 2:00PM Pacific on Friday, February 11th, and to feature, among other things, video, photos, blogging, tweeting, and official news reports and "personalized updates" from Grammy Live hosts, actor/comedian Ben Gleib, TV/Web personality Shira Lazar, and veteran broadcast music journalist John Norris. "Grammy Live has evolved into a truly engaging online experience that takes users beyond the Sunday telecast and behind the velvet rope," Peter Anton, the Recording Academy's VP of digital media, said in a prepared statement. "The Recording Academy is proud to partner with AEG Digital Media, YouTube, and our sponsor TurboTax to bring Grammy Live to music fans worldwide. We are thrilled to provide an online only experience enabling fans to interact with their favorite Grammy moments, artists, events, and more, for three very exciting days."

According to the Academy, Grammy Live will use "exclusive behind-the-scenes" cameras to provide online viewers with an "insider's view" of such Grammy Week events as the Social Media Rock Star Summit; the MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute, honoring Barbra Streisand; the Special Merit Awards Ceremony and Nominees Reception; and the Pre-Grammy Gala, featuring the 2011 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons, honoring David Geffen. The Academy says that Grammy Live will also offer extensive coverage of Grammy Sunday itself, including red-carpet arrivals, the Pre-Telecast Ceremony; and the official Grammy Celebration after-party. In addition, the organization promises, the service will provide a "dual-screen" experience that complements CBS's Grammy telecast with backstage interviews, coverage of exclusive photo sessions with winners, press-room question-and-answer sessions, and video of past Grammy moments.

The Academy's "technology partners" for Grammy Live are 1) live-streaming specialist, AEG Digital Media, whose proprietary Tremelo Player will allow viewers to select between multiple camera-angle viewing options on both Grammy.com and YouTube--thus, the Academy says, "making for greater functionality for event sponsor, Turbo Tax-maker Intuit." AEG will also be providing its social media aggregation tool, "The Hawk," which the Academy says will aggregate and present all messaging around the Grammy Live streaming experience, including messages from "the official Grammy blog team, celebrity and artist tweeters, and fans all over the world." 2) Akamai, whose HD-enabled global distribution network will be used to power Grammy Live's live and on-demand streaming. And 3) LiveU, which is providing the Academy with mobile backpacks for streaming live footage. According to the Academy, the backpacks bond Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile wireless services together (3G and 4G LTE/WiMax), and use a proprietary antenna, which allows HD-quality video transmission and helps overcome spotty connectivity in low-coverage or congested areas. In addition, the Academy says that it is employing the services of a number of "digital partners," including Drupal, Lullabot, Ooyala, Rackspace and Simply New.