FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Judie Mulligan, mulligaj@fleishman.com
Fleishman-Hillard Public Relations, 415.356.1086
1999 WEBBY AWARDS RETAIN PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS TO AUDIT BALLOTING PROCESS
The Webby Awards are first and only Internet honors to use outside auditing firm
San Francisco (December 9, 1998) – The Webby Awards announced today that it has retained PricewaterhouseCooopers to audit the balloting process for the third annual Webby Awards show which will be held in San Francisco in March 1999.
By retaining PricewaterhouseCoopers, The Webby Awards become the first and only Internet awards show to use an independent auditor in connection with its balloting process. The Webby Awards are the leading creative honors for digital media.
Unlike other awards, in which ballots are cast by regular mail, voting for the Webby Awards will be completed online at a secure, state-of-the-art web site. The security procedures will be subject to the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit procedures.
“People are in general skeptical of online balloting, fearing manipulation of results and loss of privacy. The Webby Awards are taking a bold step toward making Internet-based balloting a secure and credible process by retaining us to audit and report on the balloting process,” said Robert Stavers, a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Internet Practice.
“This is a major milestone for both The Webby Awards and the entire online community,” said Tiffany Shlain, the executive producer and creative director of The Webby Awards. “By engaging one of the world’s most respected auditors, we’re demonstrating that we take the responsibility of honoring the best Web sites very seriously.”
Shlain added that retaining PricewaterhouseCoopers was a “necessary and important next step for The Webby Awards in light of the incredible growth we have experienced over the past year.” She noted that the number of judges for the 1999 Webby Awards has increased from 90 to 200 and that more than 200,000 people (versus 100,000 in 1998) are expected to vote in the 1999 People’s Voice Awards.
At the specially designed web site, judges will be able to review the nominated sites in their category and cast their ballot. Voting officially kicks off with the unveiling of the 1999 Webby Award nominees on January 6, 1999 and concludes on February 5, 1999 Winners will be announced during live The Webby Awards ceremony in March 1999.
Winners and nominees are chosen by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS), a global organization dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of new media. Members of the Academy include luminaries from a wide range of disciplines, including Dilbert creator Scott Adams, Jane editor Jane Pratt, film director Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy), cyber-guru Esther Dyson, Infoseek chairman Steve Kirsch, and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer.
While these celebrities and Web professionals are casting their votes, the online community simultaneously casts their own votes for The People’s Voice Awards. PricewaterhouseCoopers will also review the security of The People’s Voice Awards’ voting system and report on the results. The winners of the People’s Voice Awards will also be announced during the Webby Awards show.
About The Webby Awards
The Webby Awards are the leading creative honors for digital media. Nominees and winners are chosen by members of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a global organization dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of new media. The Webby Awards are an IDG event.
About IDG Conference Management Company
IDG Conference Management Company is a full service information technology conference development and management company, producing the Agenda, Spotlight, CEO’s Only and DEMO conferences. It also publishes DemoLetter and DemoWeekly. IDG Conference Management Company is a division of IDG WorldExpo, the producer of 110 computer-related expositions and conferences in 35 countries. IDG World Expo is a business unit of International Data Group (IDG), the leading global provider of IT media, research, conferences and expositions. More information and access to 125 IDG World Wide Web sites is available at
IDG