FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Michael Kaminer Public Relations, 212.627.8098
Patrick Kowalczyk, patrick@mkpr.com
Leah Schmerl, leah@mkpr.comcom
FOR FIRST-EVER ‘BEST PRACTICES AWARD’
Nominees Also Announced for
“Arts” and “Technical Achievement”
San Francisco (July 9, 2001) – The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences® today unveiled the nominees for its first-ever Best Practices Award, a new award that will honor a single site that serves as model of overall excellence in each of the Webby Awards’ judging criteria.
The Academy also announced nominees in two additional categories, Arts and Technical Achievement. The nominees in the twenty-seven other Webby categories, ranging from Politics and Film to Activism and Weird, were announced in April.
According to Maya Draisin, executive director of the Academy, the organization that oversees the Webby Awards, the Best Practices Award was established to formally recognize the Web site that receives the highest ratings in the six Webby judging areas: content, structure and navigation, visual design, functionality, interactivity, and overall experience.
The nominees for the Best Practices Award are: Amazon.com, {fray}, Google.com, Slashdot.org, and Yahoo.com.
The Arts Award recognizes outstanding work in online art, while the Technical Achievement Award recognizes sites that are utilizing groundbreaking technology. Draisin said the nominees in both categories reflect the future and potential of the Internet. (See the list of nominees in both categories below)
Hailed as “The ‘It’ Awards” by Vanity Fair and “The Hot Ticket” by Entertainment Weekly, The Webby Awards are the leading international honors for Web sites and individual achievement in creativity and technology. The 5th Annual Webby Awards, hosted by actor Alan Cumming, will take place at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House on July 18, 2001. The show will be Webcast live on ABCNews.com, beginning with a pre-show at 7 pm PDT hosted by ABC newsman Sam Donaldson.
“The Best Practices along with the Arts and Technical achievement nominees serve as industry benchmarks for the most current, innovative, and advanced practices in Web development,” said Draisin. “We’re thrilled to shine the Webby spotlight on the sites that are truly setting the standard for the medium.”
Due to popular demand, a limited number of seats for the invitation-only event have been reserved for the public for the first time. Seats will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To purchase, call 1-888-387-2032 or write to eventinfo@webbyawards.com.
Nominees for the Arts Award are:
1:1
Apartment
Glasbead
YOUNG-HAE CHANG HEAVY INDUSTRIES
Potatoland
Nominees for the Technical Achievement Award are:
iMode by NTT DoCoMo
Microsoft Windows Update
Popular Power
QuickBase
Rocket Network
A comprehensive list of all Webby categories and nominees is available at www.webbyawards.com/nominees/index.html.
About the Webby Awards
The Webby Awards is the leading international honor for Web sites and individual achievement in technology and creativity. The critically acclaimed theatre production attended by 3000 people, includes films, animations, installation art and performances. The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences selects the nominees, winners, and presents the awards event. Sponsors and Partners for The Fifth Annual Webby Awards include Intel, Adobe, IDG, Metropolis Editorial, The Creative Group, Commission Junction, EarthLink, Getty Images, Metropolis Editorial, Diesel Design, Rare Medium, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Access Magazine, Wired, and Artbyte. Balloting is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers. For more information visit http://www.webbyawards.com.
About the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences
The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of the Internet and evolving forms of interactive media. The Academy’s goal is to assemble a brilliant panel of leading new media experts, visionaries, journalists, and luminaries to propel the Internet and Interactive Technology into the future. The Academy is an intellectually diverse organization that includes over 350 members such as film director Francis Ford Coppola, musician Bjork, Chairman of Miramax Talk Media Tina Brown, cyberguru Esther Dyson, creator of “The Simpsons” Matt Groening, Public Radio International Personality Ira Glass, and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison. Members also include writers and editors from publications such as The New York Times, Wired, Forbes, Details, Fast Company, Elle, The Los Angeles Times, Vibe, and WallPaper. For more information, visit http://www.iadas.net/