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BOOM IN ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT AND MOBILE WEB
SPUR NEW WEBBY AWARDS CATEGORIES
13th Annual Webby Awards Kick-Off Call for Entries;
Diverse New Categories Honor Performance, Mobile Apps, and Video Mashups
New York, NY (September 23, 2008) – Spurred by a boom in areas as diverse as online entertainment and mobile services, The 13th Annual Webby Awards today kicked off its call for entries with new categories that reflect the Internet’s increasing influence on everything from pop culture to commerce.
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile websites.
To enter work in more than 100 categories, visit www.webbyawards.com. The early entry deadline is October 31, 2008.
Two new categories will salute online video’s growing ranks of entertainers, performers, and personalities: Best Host of Reality/Variety Series and Best Individual Performance, which will honor everything from a poignant dramatic performance to an intricately executed dance routine.
New Webby Awards categories will also recognize the explosion in widgets and applications that enable real world activities to be done online (Best Web Services and Applications) or via mobile devices (Best Mobile Applications).
“The Internet has become the breeding ground for exciting new forms of entertainment and new tools and services that are transforming everyday life,” said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “We’re looking forward to honoring the innovators who are taking the Internet in new and exciting directions.”
The 12th Annual Webby Awards received a record 10,000 entries from over 60 countries. The awards season was capped by a star-studded June gala showcasing an influential group of Internet luminaries including Stephen Colbert, David Byrne, and Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am.
The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 550-person judging academy whose members include Vinton Cerf, R/GA’s Chief Bob Greenberg, “Simpson’s” creator Matt Groening, Arianna Huffington, and Harvey Weinstein.
Nominees for the 13th Annual Webby Awards will be announced in April 2009, and winners will be honored at a gala ceremony in New York City in June 2009.
About The Webby Awards
About The Webby Awards
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile web sites. Established in 1996, the 12th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Adobe; The Creative Group; Nokia; .ORG; Level 3; Getty Images; The Barbarian Group; Digital Kitchen; Adweek; The New York Times; Variety; Wired; IDG; FirstMark Capital; Brightcove; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.