The Award Categories

Children’s programming is enjoying a renaissance. What were the top animated titles and formats that broke through in the past 12 months? These are shows that either enjoyed widespread domestic success, or made an impact internationally with sales across the board.

The top live-action children’s titles and formats that broke through in the past 12 months across both linear broadcasters and digital platforms.

Finding a returnable hit can be a trying task in today’s competitive content landscape. TBI honours kids programmes – both animated and live action – that have continued to build on their debut success, drawing wide audiences and acclaim along the way.

The future is factual, that much is clear. Streaming services and cable channels have upped the ante when it comes to multi-part factual series. TBI honours the programmes – across both broadcast or digital – that have raised the bar in their execution, storytelling and/or access.

With new platforms opening up to cater specifically to short-form programming, and traditional players catching up with short-form commissioning of their own, this award recognises breakthrough content that is 15 minutes or less in length per episode.

Today’s distributors need to think on their feet and wear myriad hats. Does your distribution business employ a unique strategy that is cutting through and winning buyers over? Are you leveraging new technology to seal the deal, or hiring new types of execs that put you on the cutting edge? TBI pays tribute to a distribution outfit raising the bar for what’s possible in the field.

This award salutes unscripted and scripted programming with outstanding on-screen and/or off-screen representation of LGBTQ, race and ethnicity and/or disability. These programmes cut through with either salient topics that touch on important issues affecting minority groups or feature representative casts and crews that elevate the production.

TBI honours content that broke through as truly integrated efforts between producer, broadcaster or platform and sponsor. These programmes work on every level and are prime examples of effective messaging combined with world-class storytelling.

A voracious appetite for crime-focused programming has seen more innovation in the genre than ever before. TBI’s Breakthrough Crime Series Award recognises a title that steps outside the tried and tested, experimenting with form, storytelling and archive to create an unforgettable experience.

As the drama landscape continues to open up to non-English language fare from all over the world and viewers embrace more subtitled programming, TBI salutes the best scripted offerings to emerge from non-English speaking regions, raising the bar across storytelling and production and resonating far beyond the local market.

As channels seek to stand out from the crowd with original programming and big-ticket acquisitions, often launching across several territories at once, we award the series that launched with the most buzz and which created the greatest ratings, marketing and social media impact.

As the golden age of drama continues, we recognize the breakout scripted series that has created the greatest impact around the world.

This award will go to a popular ongoing series that has shown great accomplishment across broadcast or streaming platforms this year.

Broadcasters still want big entertainment shows for their primetime schedules. Which format cut through in the last year to become a global success? Whether a shiny-floor entertainment show, a structured reality hit, a gameshow or an ob-doc that got remade in local markets, what was the standout international format of the past 12 months?

Talent titles continue to draw in regular viewers year after year and we award the musical format that has shone brightest in the past 12 months

TV viewers are increasingly engaging with content – and their peers – via social media. These platforms have become crucial to programme makers and other video industry stakeholders as a way to market and distribute, as well as to assess the popularity of content and engage with audiences. The Social Media Award will go to the most innovative use of social media by a video industry player over the past year.

What was the outstanding international factual project of the last twelve months? Which show worked at home and then became a hit in international markets, which project was the most talked about?

Winning the loyalty of Millennials and digital natives is the challenge currently preoccupying the TV world more than any other. The YouTube Award will go to a company or organisation that has successfully gained – and retained – the attention of the digital generation through a YouTube-delivered service or content.

From structured reality hit to ob-doc, what was the standout factual entertainment programme of the past 12 months?

Original programming from streaming services has changed the world of content forever. We honour the digital original show with the biggest impact in the past year, and the people who made it.

Success is hard-won in the TV world. Repeated success is even harder. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an outstanding individual who has achieved the rare distinction of delivering, inspiring or executing innovation time and again over the course of their career.

This special award recognises one executive who has made their mark on the TV landscape, whether in the field of production, distribution, technology, or in any other innovative field.

Do you have a hot shot in your development team? Someone with their finger on the pulse who brings cracking ideas to the table day in and day out? This is an opportunity to recognise the individuals – some of whom may just be starting their TV careers – in your business whose ideas rise to the top and win commissions.