Somerset Businesses Step Up For Media & Innovation Awards

This year’s Media & Innovation Awards have received 131 entries for the 2011 awards, a 30% increase on last year’s competition, and Somerset businesses are well represented with diverse entries coming from across the county.

The Media & Innovation Awards are run in association with the Creative Industries iNet (Innovation Network) and the entries from Somerset businesses range from outstanding contribution nominations to new talent, international trade, branding and community web use, amongst others.

The volume of entrants from Somerset demonstrates the quality of work that is being produced in the county across many formats and platforms, and shows it to be a fertile ground for creativity.

Karen Stockdale, Media & Innovation Awards Manager, said: “It’s great to see so many entries coming in from Devon, and that the quality of entries is so high.”

The standard of entries is as high this year as ever, and they will now be sent off to the expert judges for consideration. The nominees will be announced at the end of March and the winners will be revealed at a glitzy gala dinner on the 9th June at the Holiday Inn, in Plymouth.

This year’s elite panel of judges include Michael Nutley from New Media Age, Adam Powers from the BBC, Ravi Amaratunga from Channel 4 and Peter Buckingham from the UK Film Council.

The Media & Innovation Awards celebrate and honour the very best in creative work produced throughout the South West during the past year. This year, winners whose work is in relevant categories will not only take home the distinctive award, they will also be entitled to free entry, worth over £200, to the national British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) Awards. All companies and individuals who entered are also eligible for 15 months BIMA membership for the price of 12 – an exclusive offer to Media & Innovation Awards entrants.

The 2011 Media & Innovation Awards are funded by the Creative Industries iNet, a programme of support designed to help the South West’s creative businesses thrive and advance the area’s growing reputation as a global creative centre of excellence. The Creative Industries iNet is a part of the Government’s Solutions for Business portfolio, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and led by South West Screen.