Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Interactive Media Peer Group Announces Finalists in the 2004-2005 Competition for Outstanding Achievement for Interactive Television Emmy Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

North Hollywood, CA, July 21, 2005 – The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Interactive Peer Group has  identified its list of  finalists for 2004-2005 Outstanding Achievement for Interactive Television Emmy Awards.  The announcement was made by Brian Seth Hurst, Interactive Media Peer Group Co-Governor, at the AFI Digital Content Festival which is considered the premier event in the interactive television industry.

The Interactive awards are juried, with a possibility of one, more than one or no awards given.  There are no nominations; only finalists.  The five finalists in each area now go to round two judging by blue ribbon jury panels to be held August 2 at the Television Academy.  The awards will be presented at the 2005 Primetime Creative Arts Awards on September 11 at the Shrine Auditorium.
 
"I feel like we have taken a quantum leap this year," said Hurst.  "The caliber of the entries has been truly remarkable and has in fact raised the bar for creative excellence in interactive television. The quality and range of content also signals both the viability and maturity of our industry. The winners will certainly be worthy of the Emmy statuette."

The finalists for the 2004-2005 Outstanding Achievement for Interactive Television Emmy Awards are:

Outstanding Achievement in Program Specific Enhanced or Interactive Television:

• 2005 TV Land Awards All Access (TV Land, Nick at Night, Zetools)
• Celebrity Blackjack Interactive (GSN, Goldpocket, Oceanic Time Warner)
• The DirecTV Sports Mix (DirecTV)
• One Tree Hill uDecide (The WB Television Network)
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Valleycrest Productions)

Outstanding Achievement for Non-Program Specific Enhanced or Interactive Television for a Channel, Network or Service:

• AOL Music On Demand (AOL, Time Warner Cable, Zetools)
• The DirecTV Interactive Service (DirecTV)
• iO Interactive Optimum Digital Cable Service (Cablevisions Systems Corporation)
• Reuters Interactive TV Channel (Reuters)
• Sesame Street Games (Sesame Workshop)

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The Interactive Television Emmy Awards recognizes original Interactive Television programming content, applications or services, which have been deployed domestically during the period of June 1, 2004 – May 31, 2005 and have demonstrated creative excellence.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 just one month after network television was born. It is a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry. In addition to recognizing outstanding programming through its Emmy® Award, the Television Academy publishes Emmy® Magazine.

For additional press information and resources concerning the Interactive Television Emmy Awards, the Interactive Media Peer Group or the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, please direct your inquiries to Robin Mesger of The Lippin Group at (323) 965-1990.

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Press Contacts:

The Lippin Group for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

Robin Mesger 323/965-1990 rmesger@lippingroup.com
Pam Golum 323/965-1990 pgolum@lippingroup.com

CBS Publicity:

Andrea Ballas 323/575-2858 andrea.ballas@tvc.cbs.com
Susan Marks 323/575-2118 susan.marks@tvc.cbs.com