PARIS: Satellite operator Eutelsat and Eurovisioni, the international festival of cinema and television have announced the schedule for the Hot Bird TV Awards 2003.
Initiated by Eutelsat and Eurovisioni in 1998, the objective of the awards is to acknowledge the role of thematic television in today's broadcasting environment and to recognise the quality of thematic programming broadcast through Eutelsat's satellites. The winners are selected by a panel of media specialists from major publications Europe.
The jury is composed of European journalists specialising in media from publications including Le Monde (France), The Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom), The Echo Of Moscow( Russia), TV Sat Magazine (Poland), Milliyet Sanat (Turkey). The jury will meet from 5-7 September in Rome to select three short-listed nominees.
Awards will be presented in nine categories which are kids, sport, interactivity, music, news and current affairs, documentaries, culture, cinema and fiction. the short-listed nominees will be chosen on the basis of dynamic approach and creativity, quality of production, positive image by viewers.
Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta said: "Today, more than 132 million homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East are equipped to receive TV programmes via cable or satellite TV more than four out of every ten TV households in 238 countries. The volume and range of thematic channels on offer is a driving force behind this expansion."
The awards will be handed out in Vicenza, Italy within the framework of the SatExpo 2003 exhibition. it takes place from 2-4 October. Last year BBC World won in the news and current affairs category.