Submissions Are Open For The 4th Annual IAWTV Awards

The 4th Annual IAWTV Awards, celebrating excellence in online video content, have opened for submissions. 34 categories, including those for Best Microbudget, Genre and Children’s Series, and returning categories like Best Comedy or Best Performances, are available to submit, and will be awarded on April 15, 2015 in Las Vegas as part of NMX and NAB Show. Continue reading →

Jan 16, 2015 /prREACH/ -- (Jan 15, 2015) The International Academy Web Television (IAWTV) is casting their eyes in two directions at their award show this year. As always, they will be looking forward to the future of television, but this year they are also remembering the past. The theme of this year’s awards show is, ‘Pioneers.’

Tina Cesa Ward, co-writer of this year’s awards show, creator of Producing Juliet and winner of the first ever Writers Guild of America Award for Original New Media (along with Susan Miller) for her first hit series Anyone But Me, explains that many of the shows that built the foundation of today’s streaming television existed before any awards and have failed to be recognized. “I'm excited about the pioneers theme,” says Ward, “I see all the time how shows that were so important to the history of this medium are being forgotten and it will be really awesome to pay tribute to their importance.”

One such pioneer of the web series world is Felicia Day. The Guild and Geek & Sundry creator is also a former IAWTV board member. “The IAWTV award epitomizes the true spirit of web content: celebrating independence and standout creativity outside traditional mainstream entertainment,” Day sums up.

While recognizing the past, Executive Director of the Awards Jonathan Robbins (star of Out With Dad and creator of Clutch) and his team are also aware that new media is ever changing, and that the awards need to be forward thinking as well. While most of the award categories remain the same, there are a few key changes in 2015. “It’s important to maintain consistency, but it’s equally important to evolve with the growing medium and listen to the input of the IAWTV members,” adds Ed Robinson, another co-writer of this year’s award show and the creator of award-winning series Pairings. “Web television used to be mostly short comedies and reality shows, but the genres have expanded as more creators enter the space.”

“It is with great pleasure that we add categories for Non-English Series and Children’s Series, as those works are rarely honored and they should be,” says Robbins. This year, the IAWTV is also adding Best Microbudget and Best Genre series categories as well as Special Award, to be presented to a pioneering female in the industry.

“I'm thrilled with the direction Jonathan and his team are taking the IAWTV Awards this year,” exclaims new IAWTV Chairman Jeff Burns. “It's so important to recognize those pioneering web creators who helped propel the web space to where it is now as well as those currently working hard to move it forward even more.  This will easily be our biggest show ever!”

An international jury of specialists in the thirty-four respective categories will determine the nominees. Academy members will then determine the winners. Submissions end on February 8th, 2015, and nominees will be announced on March 3rd, 2015. Winners will be announced at the IAWTV Awards in Las Vegas on April 15th at 8:00 pm PT as part of New Media Expo and the NAB show. For a list of all of this year’s categories and to submit, please visit www.iawtvawards.com

To learn more about the IAWTV or become a member, visit IAWTV.org

To learn more about New Media Expo, visit NMXlive.com

For more about the NAB show, visit NABshow.com

About New Media Expo

New Media Expo was born in 2006. Originally called BlogWorld & New Media Expo, the event name was changed in 2011 to New Media Expo and uses the popular hashtag #NMX on social networks like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. New Media Expo is the world’s first and only industry-wide conference, tradeshow and media event for all new media. Thousands of attendees learn about Content Creation, Distribution, Monetization, Social Media Marketing strategies, and bleeding-edge tools from the most successful and influential Bloggers, Podcasters, Vloggers, Web TV & Radio Broadcasters, and Social Media Visionaries. New Media Expo was co-founded by trade show industry veterans and proud evangelists of The Media Revolution Rick Calvert and Dave Cynkin.

More information can be found at www.NMXevents.com

About IAWTV

Founded in 2009, The International Academy of Web Television is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of web television as well as furthering the common good and general welfare of industry professionals.  IAWTV members include actors, agents, composers, distributors, directors, editors, producers, technology innovators, writers, and other industry professionals from digital entertainment companies, studios, and industry organizations.