FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Michael Kaminer Public Relations, 212.627.8098
Patrick Kowalczyk, patrick@mkpr.com
Jill Feldman, jill@mkpr.com
THE SIXTH ANNUAL WEBBY AWARDS® ANNOUNCE NOMINEES FOR NETART AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
San Francisco (May 6, 2002) – Shining a spotlight on the Web sites that are redefining art and the Internet as we know it, The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences today unveiled the nominees in NetArt and Technical Achievement for The 6th Annual Webby Awards.
Providing a peek into what tomorrow’s Internet will look like, the diverse collection of nominees blur the lines between art and technology. Ranging from technical innovations, such as a Web site that allows users to compare historical and current maps online, to burgeoning movements aimed at transforming the Web itself, such as the X Internet and free wireless Internet access.
Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as a celebration of “sites that pave important paths to the Internet’s next phase,” The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for Web sites and individual achievement in creativity and technology. The awards are determined by the Academy, a diverse, 350-person organization whose membership includes: David Bowie, Vint Cerf, one of the “fathers of the Internet”; Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle; Rob Glaser, CEO of RealNetwork; and artist Bill Viola.
The public can also vote for their favorite Web sites in The People?s Voice Awards. Beginning today, online fans can cast their ballots at http://www.webbyawards.com/peoplesvoice/.
The 2002 nominees in NetArt are:
- 360degrees — http://www.360degrees.org: an interactive documentary on the criminal justice system that uses 360-degree navigation to allow users to explore the personal spaces of individuals involved in the system.
- Consume — http://consume.net: the online hub of the free wireless Internet access movement.
- DeskSwap — http://www.deskswap.com/: a multi-user screensaver that swaps images of the user’s desktop with others using the screensaver.
- PrayStation — http://www.praystation.com: the personal Web site of New York-based artist and technologist Joshua Davis (also nominated for Best Personal Web Site)
- They Rule — http://theyrule.orgo.org/: allows users to document and share the inter-connections between the most powerful people in the U.S.
The nominees in Technical Achievement are:
- David Rumsey Historical Map Collection — http://www.davidrumsey.com: features a GIS browser that allows detailed overlays of historical maps and current geospatial data.
- Google.com — http://www.google.com: the popular search engine.
- Sony Digital Memory Stick — http://www.sony.com/memorystick: tiny, mobile storage system for all digital media, including photos, music, movies, and data.
- REBOL Internet Operating System — http://www.rebol.com/ios-intro.html: a real-time platform based on X Internet technology.
- Volantis System Ltd. — http://www.volantis.com; creator of software that enables businesses to create Web sites that can be delivered through any Internet-capable device.
Nominees in 28 other Webby Awards categories were unveiled on April 29th. A full list of nominees can be found at http://www.webbyawards.com.
“We’re proud to honor these visionary artists and technologists who are constantly pushing the envelope and challenging the way we think about and use the Internet,” said Maya Draisin, the executive director of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. “Their pioneering work is setting the standard for the Web sites that we visit on a daily basis.”
The public can vote for their favorite Web sites in all categories in The People’s Voice Awards. Online fans can cast their ballots at http://www.webbyawards.com/peoplesvoice/.
Winners will be announced at The 6th Annual Webby Awards, which will be held on Tuesday, June 18th, 2002 at the California Palace of The Legion of Honor in San Francisco. In keeping with Webby tradition, winners will once again be held to a five-words-or-less acceptance speech.
The Webby Awards and People?s Voice Awards voting process is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Review all the nominees for the 6th Annual Webby Awards at http://www.webbyawards.com/main/webby_awards/nominees.html.
Download a Word Document with all nominees: 6th Annual Webby Award Nominees.
About the Webby Awards
Founded in 1996, The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for consumer Web sites and individual achievement in technology and creativity. The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences selects the nominees, winners, and presents the awards event. Sponsors for The Sixth Annual Webby Awards include SBC, International Data Group (IDG), Getty Images, Hewlett-Packard, The Creative Group, Google, Elias Arts and partner Nielsen//NetRatings. 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 Francis Ford Coppola, Bjork, Tina Brown, Esther Dyson, Matt Groening, Ira Glass, and 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 www.iadas.net.