Category: New
Media
Date: 03.03.2005
Printable version
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has picked up three awards at the prestigious interactive Baftas
last night (2 March 2005) at a ceremony held in the CafΓ© Royal in London.
The highlight of the calendar for the digital industry, the iBaftas
recognise technological, creative and individual achievement on the
internet and in interactive television.
Winning entries came from Radio & Music interactive, Sport interactive
and interactive Drama & Entertainment.
All the winning entries involved partnerships with independent production
companies.
Ashley Highfield, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Director of New Media & Technology, said on behalf
of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ: "The iBaftas are amongst the most prestigious accolades
within the New Media industry and it is fantastic recognition for the
hard work that teams from across New Media, television and radio have
put in to providing our audience with exciting and innovative ways to
engage with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ."
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 interactive in collaboration with Sean SollΓ© won the Online
Entertainment section for the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy adventure
game, an updated version of the original text-based game, developed
20 years ago by Douglas Adams.
The game invited users to design new graphics to illustrate the game
encouraging them to become actively involved in developing the new version
of the game as well as playing along with the original.
Simon Nelson, Controller of Radio & Music interactive, said: "It's
a fitting legacy to Douglas Adams and Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
that the brand continues to lead the field in innovation in terms of
the internet and radio."
In the News & Sport category Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport interactive took the top award
with England's exit from Euro 2004.
The bbc.co.uk/sport offered a comprehensive service for Euro 2004,
with reports, reaction, in-depth analysis, video highlights and messageboards
- as well an animated Virtual Replay service, which was a co-production
between Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport and LifeInMedia.
Andrew Thompson, Head of New Media, Sportsnews and Development, said:
"It's wonderful to see the innovation from Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sport interactive recognised
with this Bafta and it's a credit to the team who worked on Euro 2004
across all platforms."
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ also picked up an interactive Bafta in the Interactive TV category
for Spooks interactive.
The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ interactive production team worked closely with programme creator
Kudos to produce one of the first major interactive TV projects in the
drama genre.
The red button service allowed viewers to undertake various training
modules based on key spy skills such as surveillance and bugging.
Halfway through the series they could undertake an interactive mission
where the skills they had learned were put to the test as a MI5 agent.
Sophie Walpole, Head of interactive Drama & Entertainment, said: "This
is such a fantastic achievement - a first for drama. Collaborating with
Kudos on such an innovative project has created a new experience for
the viewer and a model for future forms of immersive entertainment."
Notes to Editors
About bbc.co.uk
Latest figures for bbc.co.uk show that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's reach amongst the
24 million internet-using adults in the UK hit an all-time high of 48
per cent in December 2004.
A record number of 11.4 million people used bbc.co.uk during December,
a month-on-month increase of almost 750,000 new users.
About Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔi
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔi offers digital viewers access to interactive TV programmes that
extend and enhance the linear programme as well as up-to-the-minute
information in words and pictures.
This service is available on all major digital platforms by pressing
the red button on the remote control.
In the summer of 2004 a record number of 8.96 million digital satellite
viewers pressed the red button to use the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's interactive Olympic
services, the highest reaching service to date and more than double
the previous peak for Wimbledon 2004.
