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2008 ASTRA nominees announced

Subscription television today announced the nominees in the 6th Annual ASTRA Awards, recognising programmes, talent and promotion campaigns.

The most profile category, and indeed one of its strongest, is for local drama. It is a battle that will be fought between Love My Way, The King, Satisfaction, Stupid Stupid Man, Dangerous and Chandon Pictures. Most also make an appearance in the viewer voted ‘Favourite Program” for Australian productions, along with Australia’s Next Top Model, American Chopper: Australia and Parkinson: The Shane Warne Interview.

In the viewer voted International favourite programme are Dexter, The Riches, High School Musical 2, Gossip Girl, Grand Designs, Deadliest Catch and Mythbusters.

Digital customers can vote by going to Channel 222 on FOXTEL, AUSTAR and OPTUS and using the dedicated ASTRA Awards Voting Channel. Fans can also vote online in the Vote Now section at www.astraawards.com

Top nominations: Showcase (13); Fox 8 (12); Sky News (12); TV1 (10); MTV (10); Discovery Channel (8), Showtime (7); and Lifestyle Channel (6).

The 6th Annual ASTRA Awards will be held at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Monday, April 21.


PLATFORM MARKETING

Most Outstanding Marketing Campaign – Subscription Sales
‘Sports Beer’ Campaign – AUSTAR
‘Unexpectedly’ Campaign – FOXTEL
‘Talking TV’ Campaign – FOXTEL
‘Get It’ Campaign – FOXTEL
‘Make this month your own: Get ‘The Works’ free for a month’ Campaign – AUSTAR

Most Outstanding Marketing Campaign – Subscriber Retention
Ripped Off: The Films Hollywood Nicked – World Movies
The King – TV1
Stupid Stupid Man – TV1

Most Outstanding Use of Subscription TV Medium for a Consumer Advertising Campaign
Calciyum: Grim’s Bare Bones! – Cartoon Network
Hasbro Transformers Script Writing Competition – Cartoon Network

PROGRAM & CHANNEL PROMOTION

Most Creative On-Air Program Promotion
Bulpitt Day Australia Day – FOX Classics
The Singing Office – FOX8
TV1’s Brady Smack Down – TV1
Gotta Love Your League: The Mo – FOX Sports 3
MTV Australian Video Music Awards 2007 – MTV

Most Creative Off-Air Program Promotion
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! – UKTV
Chandon Pictures Launch: Sumo – Movie Extra
Showcase Channel Launch – Showcase
The Home of SpongeBob – Nickelodeon

Most Outstanding Program Promotion Campaign
MTV Australian Video Music Awards 2007 – MTV
Ben 10 Launch – Cartoon Network
American Chopper Australia – Discovery Channel
The King – TV1
Take You There: Rugby World Cup – FOX Sports 2

Most Outstanding Channel Image Spot
The Building Blocks of Life – The LifeStyle Channel
I Love Food IDs – LifeStyle FOOD
Channel [V] Artist Soundscapes – Channel [V]
Reach Campaign – The Weather Channel

TECHNOLOGY

Most Outstanding Use of Technology (for a consumer application)
Afterworld – Sci Fi
Blog Party – Channel [V]
ClickHeadSpace – Nickelodeon
FOXTEL Online Guide With Remote Record – FOXTEL

Most Outstanding Use of Interactive Television (for a consumer application)
Election 07 – Sky News
Movie One’s Redspace – Movie One
Australia’s Next Top Model – FOX8
Barclays Premier League: Viewers Choice – FOX Sports 1

PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION

Most Outstanding International Program or Event
The Riches – Showcase
Mad Men – Movie Extra
Dexter – Showcase
Discovery Atlas: India Revealed – Discovery Channel

Most Outstanding Event
The Helpmann Awards – Bio.
Australia’s Next Top Model Final – FOX8
MTV Australian Video Music Awards 2007 – MTV
Sport Australia Hall of Fame – FOX Sports 3
Nickelodeon’s Australian Kids’ Choice Awards 2007 – Nickelodeon

Most Outstanding Short Form Program
The ANZAC Day Interstitial – The History Channel
Action Earth – FOX8/The Weather Channel
Snoop – MTV
Tipping Point – The Weather Channel

Most Outstanding Children’s Program
Camp Orange: The Mystery Of Spaghetti Creek – Nickelodeon
As the Bell Rings: Treasure Map – Disney Channel

Most Outstanding Music Program or Coverage
Snowjam – MTV
MAX Sessions: Powderfinger, Concert for the Cure – MAX
The Lair – MTV
MAX Sessions: Jimmy Barnes – MAX
Rollin with the Muster – Country Music Channel

Most Outstanding Sports Program
On the Couch – FOX Sports 1
MTV Sports – MTV
NRL on FOX – FOX Sports 3
Total Football – FOX Sports 3

Most Outstanding Sports Coverage
Football Internationals: Australia v Argentina – FOX Sports 2
BMX Games 2007 – FUELTV
Wallabies – FOX Sports 2

Most Outstanding Documentary
Thanks For Listening – The History Channel
Out Of Africa: Bullet and a Target – MTV
Tuna Wranglers – Discovery Channel
CIA – Crime & Investigation Network

Most Outstanding News Program or Coverage
Fox Sports News & Views – FOX Sports News
APEC 2007 – Sky News
Newcastle Floods – Sky News

Most Outstanding Lifestyle Program
Stuart MacGill Uncorked – LifeStyle FOOD
The Best in Australia – The LifeStyle Channel
From here to Maternity with Antonia Kidman – W.
Great Australian Sandcastles – How To Channel
Five Star Insider – Discovery Travel & Living

Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program
Parkinson: The Shane Warne Interview – UKTV
Australia’s Next Top Model – FOX8
American Chopper Australia – Discovery Channel
The Singing Office – FOX8

Most Outstanding Drama
Chandon Pictures – Movie Extra
Dangerous – FOX8
The King – TV1
Love My Way – Showtime
Satisfaction – Showcase
Stupid Stupid Man – TV1

TALENT

Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male
Brendan Cowell – Showtime (Love My Way)
Ben Mendelsohn – Showtime (Love My Way)
Dan Wyllie – Showtime (Love My Way)
Stephen Curry – TV1 (The King)
Wayne Hope – TV1 (Stupid Stupid Man)

Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female
Claudia Karvan – Showtime (Love My Way)
Asher Keddie – Showtime (Love My Way)
Diana Glenn – Showcase (Satisfaction)
Bojana Novakovic – Showcase (Satisfaction)
Alison Whyte – Showcase (Satisfaction)

Most Outstanding Performance by a Presenter
Steve Liebmann – Crime & Investigation (CIA)
Jimmy Barnes – MAX (The Know)
James Kerley – Channel [V] (Cash Cab)
David Speers – Sky News (Agenda)
Helen Dalley – Sky News (Sunday Business)
Stuart MacGill – LifeStyle FOOD (Stuart McGill Uncorked)

Most Outstanding Performance by a Broadcast Journalist
Rebecca Perrie – FOX Sports News
Kieran Gilbert – Sky News
Michael Willesee – Sky News
Gavin Morris – The Weather Channel

SUBSCRIBERS’ CHOICE − in response to viewer feedback, this category has expanded with eight nominees per award.

Favourite Program
Parkinson: The Shane Warne Interview – UKTV
Australia’s Next Top Model – FOX8
Dangerous – FOX8
Love My Way – Showtime
Satisfaction – Showcase
American Chopper Australia – Discovery Channel
Stupid Stupid Man – TV1
The King – TV1

Favourite International Program
Grand Designs – The LifeStyle Channel
Gossip Girl – FOX8
Dexter – Showcase
The Riches – Showcase
Deadliest Catch – Discovery Channel
High School Musical 2 – Disney Channel
Mythbusters Supersized Special – Discovery Channel
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart – The Comedy Channel

Favourite International Personality or Actor
Gordon Ramsay – LifeStyle FOOD (Hell’s Kitchen)
Trinny and Susannah – The LifeStyle Channel (Undress)
Michael Parkinson – UKTV (Parkinson: The Shane Warne Interview)
Minnie Driver – Showcase (The Riches)
Eddie Izzard – Showcase (The Riches)
Michael C Hall – Showcase (Dexter)
Zac Efron – Disney Channel (High School Musical 2)
Mythbusters Team – Discovery Channel (Mythbusters)

Favourite Male Personality
Ben O’Donoghue – The LifeStyle Channel
Stuart MacGill – LifeStyle FOOD
Darren McMullen – MTV
James Kerley – Channel [V]
Jimmy Barnes – MAX
Cameron Knight – The Comedy Channel
James Bracey – Sky News
David Speers – Sky News

Favourite Female Personality
Anna Gare – The LifeStyle Channel
Antonia Kidman – W.
Charlotte Dawson – FOX8
Maggie Tabberer – Bio.
Maz Compton – MTV
Yumi Stynes – MAX
Brooke Forster – Sky News
Helen Dalley – Sky News

HALL OF FAME

Channel of the Year
The History Channel
FOX8
Sky News
Nickelodeon
FOX Sports

Press Release:

Nominees for the 6th Annual ASTRA Awards for excellence in subscription television were announced today.

Last year’s ASTRA winner for Favourite Female Personality, Antonia Kidman, and Foxtel’s Mike Hammond made the announcement at an industry event at Sydney’s ASTRAL Bar.

The prestigious ASTRA Awards applaud the talent and contribution from all the channels and platforms involved in subscription television in Australia. The winners will be recognised at a red carpet gala event to be held at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Monday, April 21.

Channels receiving the most nominations are Showcase (13), Fox 8 (12), Sky News (12), TV1 (10), MTV (10), Discovery Channel (8) and Showtime (7).

Successful local drama productions once again dominate. TV1 has two nominations for Most Outstanding Drama for The King and Stupid Stupid Man, up against perennial favourite Love my Way (Showtime), Satisfaction (Showcase), Dangerous (Fox8) and Chandon Pictures (Movie Extra).

From overseas, controversial chef Gordon Ramsay has been nominated for Favourite International Personality or Actor for his show on LifeStyle FOOD but has stiff competition from Trinny and Susannah (The LifeStyle Channel), Michael Parkinson (UKTV), High School Musical’s Zac Efron (Disney Channel), Minnie Driver (Showcase) and the Mythbusters Team (Discovery Channel).

Antonia Kidman is recognised in two categories − Most Outstanding Lifestyle Program (From Here to Maternity) and Favourite Female Personality − along with Charlotte Dawson from Australia’s Next Top Model (Fox 8), Maggie Tabberer (Bio), Anna Gare (The LifeStyle Channel), Yumi Stynes (MAX), Maz Compton (MTV) and Sky News’ Brooke Forster and Helen Dalley.

Last year’s Channel of the Year, Nickelodeon, receives six nominations, including Most Outstanding Event (Nickelodeon’s Australian Kids’ Choice Awards 2007) and Most Outstanding Children’s Program (Camp Orange: The Mystery of Spaghetti Creek), along with Disney Channels’ As the Bell Rings: Treasure Map.

Discovery Channel receives eight nominations, including Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program (American Chopper Australia) and Most Outstanding Documentary (Tuna Wranglers), along with The History Channel’s Thanks for Listening, MTV’s Out of Africa and Crime & Investigation Network’s CIA.

MTV leads the music channels with ten nominations, including three for its Australian Video Music Awards 2007. MAX’s Jimmy Barnes is recognised personally in two categories: Favourite Male Personality and Most Outstanding Performance by a Presenter. He’s also the subject of another nomination in the Most Outstanding Music Program or Coverage category for MAX Session: Jimmy Barnes, along with The Lair (MTV), Snowjam (MTV), MAX Sessions: Powderfinger and CMC’s Rollin with the Muster.

A broad cross-section of channels are in contention for the coveted Channel of the Year award, including Fox Sports, The History Channel, FOX8, Sky News and last year’s winner, Nickelodeon.

“Subscription television continues to lead the way in many areas of television,” said Debra Richards, CEO of ASTRA.

“The calibre of talent on subscription television continues to grow, making this year’s ASTRA Awards even more exciting and vibrant. And we’ve listened to viewers who told us they wanted more choice in the five subscriber-voted categories. There are now eight nominees per award.

From 2pm March 26 to midnight April 16, subscribers can vote for their favourite programs and presenters. The five public-voted categories are:

• Favourite International Program
• Favourite Program
• Favourite International Personality or Actor
• Favourite Male Personality
• Favourite Female Personality

www.astraawards.com

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