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THE DAILY SHOW’S ROB CORDDRY TO HOST THE
10TH ANNUAL WEBBY
AWARDS IN NYC ON JUNE 12, 2006
Mayor Michael Bloomberg Salutes “Online OSCARS®”;
Webby Nominees to be Unveiled April 11th
www.webbyawards.com
New York City, NY – (April 4, 2006) – Setting the stage for The 10th Annual Webby Awards, comedian Rob Corddry of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart will return as host for this year’s gala ceremony at New York City’s historic Cipriani Wall Street on June 12th, organizers announced today.
Proclaimed “the online equivalent of an OSCAR®” by the New York Times (June 21, 2005), The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for Web sites and the innovators behind them. Nominations for The 10th Annual Webby Awards will be announced on April 11.
“As the business, media, and entertainment capital of the world, New York City is proud to host The 10th Annual Webby Awards,” said Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of The City of New York. “It’s an exciting opportunity to showcase the city’s global leadership in online commerce and culture.”
More than 700 luminaries from the fields of media, advertising, business, technology, entertainment, politics, and the arts will attend the star-studded event, which will showcase winners delivering the Webbys’ famous five-word acceptance speeches.
The 10th Annual Webby Awards will honor the world’s most outstanding web sites in more than 65 categories ranging from Blog and Fashion to Retail and Film, while also celebrating The Webbys’ first ten years, including the people, moments, and web sites that have changed the way the world lives and works.
“The Webby Awards was founded a decade ago just as the web was becoming a part of everyday life,” said Tiffany Shlain, founder and ambassador of The Webby Awards. “The web is now the driving force shaping popular culture, business and society. This year’s event will provide an extraordinary opportunity to both celebrate the Web’s evolution and salute the innovators who are pushing it in exciting new directions.”
In addition to honoring the Webby winners, Special Achievement Awards will be presented to leaders using the web to reinvent business, entertainment, and popular culture. Last year’s honorees included former Vice President Al Gore (Lifetime Achievement), who stole the show with a headline-grabbing five-word speech (“Please don’t recount this vote.”) and Craigslist founder Craig Newmark (Person of the Year). This year’s honorees will be announced in early May.
Occupying an entire city block, Cipriani Wall Street continues a Webby tradition of ceremonies taking place in landmark venues, such as New York City’s Gotham Hall (2005) and the San Francisco Opera House (2001). A triumph of Greek Revival architecture, it served as the home of the New York Merchants’ Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, and the US Customs House.
According to Webby Awards executive director David-Michel Davies, The 10th Annual Webby Awards received a record 5,550 entries, a 30 percent increase over entries for last year’s awards. Nominations will be unveiled on April 11, 2006. Winners will be announced on May 9, 2006 and honored at the June 12th event.
The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, a global organization with over 500 members including muscian David Bowie, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, The Body Shop president Anita Roddick, “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening, Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, and fashion designer Max Azria.
The Creative Group, a division of Robert Half International, the premier staffing company for creative professionals, is the Title Sponsor for The 10th Annual Webby Awards.
For more information on The Webby Awards, please visit www.webbyawards.com.
About The Webby Awards:
Founded in 1996, The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for Web sites. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 535-member judging organization consisting of leading experts in a diverse range of fields. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: The Creative Group; Verizon; Adweek Magazines; Fortune and FSB; OnRequest Images, IDG; PricewaterhouseCoopers; iStockphoto, American Marketing Association; 2Advanced Studios, 2 Advanced.net; MX Interactive; For more information visit www.webbyawards.com.
OSCAR® is a federally registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Webby Awards and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences are in no way affiliated with or sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or OSCAR®.
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