The Channel Of The Year Awards just got bigger.

The MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival is inviting broadcasters and Indies to enter for this year’s Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards. All festival delegates will be able to cast their vote before attending the live ceremony on 27^th August at The Balmoral, Edinburgh.

Last year, Channel 4 won Terrestrial Channel of the Year for the first time since 2006, ending BBC One’s three year winning streak.

Non-Terrestrial Channel of the Year was awarded to BBC Three. Terrestrial Programme of the Year was awarded to the critically-acclaimed BBC One comedy Outnumbered, with E4’s multi award-winning The Inbetweeners winning Non-Terrestrial Programme of the Year following their 2009 Network and Fast Track Programme Award, which last year went to Misfits, E4’s cult, black comedy.

This year, the awards have been extended to eight categories with three new additions.

2011 marks the first year that Indies can enter the awards to showcase the shows and talent that they feel deserve industry acknowledgement, with the introduction of three new awards including Indie of the Year.

The Cross Platform Innovation Award rewards ideas that have spanned more than one platform or have used interactive technologies alongside television in new and exciting ways. They are for new products, content propositions or technologies that are genuinely taking the medium of television in a new direction. Anyone can enter – broadcaster, indie, specialist digital company, either on their own or as part of a team.  As part of the entry criteria we will ask the entrant to state any relevant collaboration between content, technology or platform company.

The Producer or Director Debut Award is an opportunity for Indies and in-house production departments to showcase new talent who made their debut between 1^st July 2010 and 30^th June 2011, and reflect their values through innovative programmes.

Louise Benson, Festival Director commented: “We’re really excited to announce the call for entries for the 10^th annual Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards. The addition of the three new categories allows more companies and individuals to submit their work for recognition and the Cross Platform Innovation Award shows that the TV Festival is acknowledging the many platforms that compliment TV in exciting and innovative ways.”

All non-terrestrial channels are being invited to enter for the Digital Channel of the Year and Digital Programme of the Year awards by submitting a two-minute showreel to the MGEITF office. Terrestrial channels, meanwhile, will be invited to submit a five-minute showreel and provide information on programming, commercial success, innovation, successful targeting, channel branding, broadband content and interactive services.

The showreel should showcase the best of the channel and include programming which has been broadcast or is due to transmit between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. The deadline for submissions is Thursday 21^st April 2011.

All entries will be available to view on the festival website from late April when voting will open. Voters, made up of festival delegates, MediaGuardian readers and members of the public will vote by viewing videos and completing an online survey designed by new research partner GfK Media. The winners will be at the Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards ceremony on 27^th August, in Edinburgh.

All GfK Media voters are offered the chance of winning a delegate pass and accommodation for the Festival.

Now in its 10th consecutive year, the Arqiva Channel of the Year Awards is in recognition of the increasingly competitive and often challenging market that today’s TV companies operate in, and to celebrate the creative, innovative and commercial solutions that both channels and production companies present. For details of previous winners click here

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR