New Zealand Wins First International Emmy(R) Award

CANNES, France, April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announces the winners of the International Digital Emmy® Awards which took place in Cannes, April 12, at a ceremony organized in partnership with Reed MIDEM and hosted by actor Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills 90210, Call Me Fitz).

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100302/NY63393LOGO )

New Zealand made history by winning its first International Emmy®. It took the Digital Program: Children & Young People category with Reservoir Hill, an interactive web series that follows 16-year-old Beth Connolly as she is forced to solve a mystery when she moves to a creepy suburb. The UK won the Digital Program: Fiction and Digital Program: Non-Fiction awards. Primeval Evolved, an online project that extends the stories, world and characters of the television show primeval, won for Fiction. Virtual Revolution, an open source documentary, inviting users to collaborate in the making of a series about how the Internet has transformed society, won for Non-Fiction. Complete information on the winners follows this release.

The Pioneer Prize was presented to Heroes creator and Executive Producer Tim Kring, for his innovative contributions to the field of digital entertainment with Heroes Evolutions.

"This year's winners have masterfully demonstrated how to enhance the viewers' multiplatform experience," said Bruce L. Paisner, President & CEO of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. "We congratulate them on their achievements."

The awards ceremony was attended by over 200 international executives from the television, broadband and mobile industries and sponsored by Nokia and Ooyala.

The 2010 International Digital Emmy® Awards Winners

Digital Program: Fiction

Primeval Evolved

ITV 1 / itv.com / Hoodlum / Impossible Pictures

United Kingdom

For ten weeks, viewers experience an online project that extends the stories, world and characters of the television show primeval. The project features an online story that runs alongside season three, with new content released throughout the week, including immersive interactive environments, high-end video sequences, and intuitive game play.

Digital Program: Children & Young People

Reservoir Hill

KHF Media Ltd / Television New Zealand / New Zealand On Air

New Zealand

Reservoir Hill follows 16-year-old Beth Connolly as she is forced to solve a mystery when she moves to the creepy new suburb of Reservoir Hill. Viewers of the web-series can text Beth and see her receive their personal message in the actual show. Writers also incorporate audience advice into the script and fans can sign up as Beth's friends on Bebo.

Digital Program: Non-Fiction

Virtual Revolution

BBC / The Open University

United Kingdom

Virtual Revolution, an open source documentary, invites users to collaborate in the making of a series about how the Internet has transformed society, by debating ideas and suggesting content. Users can also download program rushes and re-edit them. Collaborators will be credited on the TV series and online content.

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Note to the editors:

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a membership based organization comprised of leading media and entertainment figures from over 50 countries and 500 companies from all sectors of television including internet, mobile and technology. The Academy's yearly schedule of events includes the prestigious International Emmy® Awards Ceremony held in New York, The International Digital Emmy® Awards at MIPTV and a series of industry events such as Academy Day, The International Emmy® World Television Festival and Panels on substantive industry topics. The Academy was chartered with a mission to recognize excellence in television produced outside of the United States and it presents The International Emmy® Awards in the following fifteen categories: Arts Programming; Best Performance by an Actress; Best Performance by an Actor; Current Affairs; Children & Young People; Comedy; Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction; Digital Program: Non-Fiction; Documentary; Drama Series; News; Non-Scripted Entertainment; Telenovela; TV Movie/Mini-Series.

For more information go to www.iemmys.tv.

ABOUT REED MIDEM

Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional, international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and digital content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia, MIPIM HORIZONS and MAPIC for the property and retail real estate sectors.

Reed Exhibitions is the world's leading events organiser, with over 470 events in 37 countries. In 2008 Reed brought together over seven million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 38 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 470 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering, manufacturing, environment, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, medical education, printing & graphics, property & real estate, security & safety, sports & recreation, travel.

For further information about Reed MIDEM visit www.reedmidem.com.

SOURCE Reed MIDEM