NATPE Presents Second Annual Next TV Competition

May 8, 2009 World Screen

LOS ANGELES: The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) is launching its second annual Next TV Competition, recognizing top online video content, with winners to be announced at the LATVFest in July.

Done in part with Stickam.com, the contest is aimed at discovering the best pilot for a new web series or best episode from an existing Internet show in seven categories: branded entertainment, comedy, documentary/news, drama, lifestyle/DIY, long-form and reality/unscripted. Prizes include a six-month mentorship with a YouTube/Google development executive and producer and the opportunity to co-produce a six-episode web series on what’s happening in television and new media, which will play on the NATPE web site, Stickam.com, NATPE’s YouTube Channel and other video-sharing portals.

Contestants can register and upload their submissions at stickam.com/natpenexttv by May 15. Finalists will be selected by the public through live Internet shows, with live voting on Stickam.com, in addition to a panel of judges. Once the finalists are chosen, winners will be determined in another live voting show on Stickam.com. NATPE will announce the category winners and overall winner at a cocktail reception during LATVFest on July 9 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

“We are pleased to join forces with industry-pioneer Stickam.com to add a live component to our annual Next TV Competition,” said Rick Feldman, NATPE’s president and CEO. “Online video has experienced explosive growth over the past year. We anticipate this year’s entries will be top-notch, and are looking forward to showcasing them on Stickam.com.”

“We are excited to work with NATPE and YouTube to seek out the best content producers the world has to offer and utilize live audience participation to power the voting process,” added Steven Fruchter, the CEO of Stickam.com. “As the first site dedicated to live interactive video streaming, we recognized early on that the Internet is where television’s future lies.”