SAN FRANCISCO, CA., July 18, 2001 -- For the third time, PBS ONLINE has picked up one of the Internet's most esteemed awards -- a Webby, known as the "Oscars of the Web." PBS.org won its Webby in the TV category in ceremonies held in San Francisco yesterday. With this win, PBS.org has earned more TV Webby awards than any other broadcast or cable network.
PBS.org also received the Webby People's Voice Award in the TV category, chosen by more than 300,000 Internet users who registered to vote at the Webby site. It was one of only six sites to earn both honors.
"Winning the Webby demonstrates again the remarkable talent and year-round efforts of our online and television producers, local stations and PBS Interactive staff, and we are thrilled to have our system's work honored by this prestigious award," said Cindy Johanson, senior vice president of PBS Interactive. "And, a special thanks to our active Internet audience, for their ongoing participation as we transform public broadcasting's mission to provide education, culture and citizenship in a digital world."
During the past year, traffic to PBS.org has skyrocketed to more than 145 million page views a month to the site's 135,000+ pages of content and more than 450 distinct content sites.
Upcoming sites on PBS.org include companion Web content for nearly all PBS television programs, as well as a comprehensive PBS Parents "supersite" -- to debut in early 2002 -- that will provide accessible, easy-to-navigate content and information for busy parents and childcare providers to help children grow and develop intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically.
Nominees and winners of Webby Awards are chosen by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a global organization dedicated to the creative, technical and professional progress of new media. Sites were judged on their content, design and overall quality. The judges chose winners in the following categories: activism, arts, broadband, commerce, community, education, fashion, film, finance, games, government & law, health, humor, kids, living, music, news, personal, politics, print & zines, radio, science, services, spirituality, sports, technical achievement, travel, TV, and weird. For a complete list of winners visit www.webbyawards.com.
The Webby Award is the leading international honor for 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. Balloting is audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
PBS.org, PBS' award-winning site on the World Wide Web, produces high-quality Web programming as it pioneers the convergence of television and the Internet. PBS.org features more than 135,000 pages of content, as well as companion Web sites for more than 450 PBS programs and specials. In January 2000, Yahoo! put PBS.org at the top of its list of the best Web sites of all time.
PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 347 public television stations. Serving nearly 100 million people each week, PBS enriches the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services on noncommercial television, the Internet and other media. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org.
Contact:
Kevin Dando, PBS
(703) 739-5073