Astra Awards finalists announced
Fifty-three entries have been named in the list of finalists for the Astra Awards, which recognises excellence in subscription TV.
The announcement:
Today the ASTRA Awards, which recognise excellence in subscription television, announced the 53 finalists in the 15 industry voted categories.
Following their huge success at last year’s ASTRA Awards, the Lifestyle Channel is once again well represented among the finalists, with last year’s big winner Selling Houses Australia joined by new shows Grand Designs Australia and Matthew Hayden’s Home Ground.
Another newcomer making a big showing is W drama Spirited, facing off against the much loved Tangle in the Most Outstanding Drama category. The show’s star Claudia Karvan is also taking on Tangle’s leading ladies Justine Clarke and Catherine McClements in the Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female category while Spirited’s Matt King and Rodger Corser are up against Tangle’s Don Hany for Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male.
Showcasing subscription television’s commitment to providing the most comprehensive sports coverage, the Most Outstanding Sports Program or Coverage category is one of this year’s most competitive with regular favourites NRL Monday Night Football and ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption up against special programming such as coverage of the JB Were Australian Masters Golf, the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games and the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.
The outstanding news coverage of the year’s major events is honoured in the Most Outstanding News Program or Coverage category where finalists include The Weather Channel’s Wagga Wagga – Rain and Crop Ruin and SKY NEWS coverage of the Queensland Disasters, the Election 2010 and the Christchurch Earthquake.
In a unique change this year, finalists in the four Subscriber’s Choice categories will be announced at a special event on the 16th June. Consumer voting starts on Tuesday 21st June until Monday 11th July 2011. Audiences will be able to vote for their favourite home-grown and international shows and talent online at astraawards.com, and via SMS, and the iTV application. Finalists for the prestigious Channel of the Year Award, which are decided by the ASTRA Board, will also be announced at this event.
PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION
Most Outstanding Children’s Program or Event
Penelope K, By The Way CBeebies Camp Orange: Castle Mountain Nickelodeon Go Lingo National Indigenous Television
Most Outstanding Music Program or Coverage
[V] Guerilla Gigs Channel [V] [V] LIVE Series Channel [V] Big Day Out Li[V]e 2010 Channel [V] MTV Classic Launch MTV Most Outstanding Sports Program or Coverage
NRL – Monday Night Football FOX SPORTS JB Were Australian Masters Golf FOX SPORTS Pardon The Interruption ESPN Vancouver Olympic Winter Games FOXTEL Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 FOXTEL Most Outstanding Documentary
Who We Are Bio Aussie Christmas Light The LifeStyle Channel Tough Nuts – Australia’s Hardest Criminals (Ep 1) Crime & Investigation Network Aussies Abroad ESPN Australian Pirate Patrol National Geographic Channel
Most Outstanding News Program or Coverage
Wagga Wagga – Rain and Crop Ruin The Weather Channel Queensland Disasters SKY NEWS Election 2010 SKY NEWS Christchurch Earthquake SKY NEWS Most Outstanding Reality Program
Australia’s Next Top Model Series 6 FOX8 Dating In The Dark Australia FOX8 Deadliest Catch Season 6 Discovery Channel Most Outstanding Lifestyle Program
Selling Houses Australia Series 3 The LifeStyle Channel Grand Designs Australia The LifeStyle Channel Matthew Hayden’s Home Ground The LifeStyle Channel Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program
B430 Season 2 Channel [V] Australian Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2010 Nickelodeon Most Outstanding Drama
Tangle Season 2 Showcase Spirited W Most Outstanding Use of Innovation in Programming
Socceroos in 3D FOX SPORTS MAX House Party MAX Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 FOXTEL Vancouver Olympic Winter Games 2010 FOXTEL TALENT
Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male
Don Hany Showcase Matt King W Rodger Corser W
Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female
Justine Clarke Showcase Catherine McClements Showcase Claudia Karvan W Most Outstanding Performance by a Presenter
Brendon Julian FOX SPORTS Peter Maddison The LifeStyle Channel Andrew Winter The LifeStyle Channel Danny Clayton Channel [V] David Speers SKY NEWS Most Outstanding Performance by a Broadcast Journalist
Magdalena Roze The Weather Channel Kieran Gilbert SKY NEWS Ashleigh Gillon SKY NEWS Best New Talent
Peter Maddison The LifeStyle Channel Billy Russell Channel [V] Luke & Wyatt Nickelodeon Tori Bailey The Disney Channel
