The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences creates an Emmy award to recognize video content tailored for delivery on computers, cell phones and other non-TV devices.As further evidence of the growing demand for video content designed for consumption outside of the traditional living room, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced Monday that it has created an Emmy award for emerging programming formats.
Dubbed the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Content for Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms, the prize will be handed out each year for what the entertainment industry group cites as the best original video work created specifically for consumption on devices that are not TV, including computers, mobile phones, PDAs and other video-capable electronics.
With the competition overseen by what the National Television Academy is calling a blue-ribbon panel of media professionals, the award will be will be handed out in recognition of creativity in editorial content and video production for non-traditional platforms.
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The newest Emmy will be presented for the first time at the 27th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in May 2006, and will also be highlighted as part of the group's other annual awards presentations.
The Emmy will be handed out specifically for original material made for consumption either via broadband or mobile networks, including video blogs, Web site video programs, live events coverage, short programs created for mobile devices, and video-on-demand.
Entries must be less than 20 minutes in length, and programming repurposed for new platforms from TV or elsewhere will not be considered for the award. The National Television Academy will begin accepting entries for the new Emmy this week.
With an increasing number of mobile devices that support video being introduced and entertainment companies seeking additional ways to market their original content, consumers are being presented with a range of new options for viewing everything from the freshest political satire to sitcoms cancelled several decades ago.
As evidence of the trend, Internet portal player America Online announced Monday that it will soon begin allowing its customers to watch old shows like "Welcome Back Kotter" and "Growing Pains" via its broadband network.
Last month Apple Inc. reported that it sold over 1 million video downloads in less than three weeks after launching its newest iPod handheld, which can play the multimedia files.
Read the full story on eWEEK.com: Emerging Video Platforms Win an Emmy
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