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Freesat has been announced as a finalist for the 2010 National Business Awards in partnership with Orange, the UK’s most prestigious independent business honours.

The subscription-free digital satellite TV service is in the running to win The Excellence in Marketing Award, for the success achieved around its recent World Cup in HD campaign in the lead up to this year’s tournament.

More than 150 of the UK’s most innovative businesses have been shortlisted for the awards with Freesat competing against nine others in its category.

Winners will be unveiled at a ceremony taking place at London’s Grosvenor House hotel on 9th November.

Freesat, the digital satellite TV service announces that this year’s Freesat Awards are now open for entries. Now in its second year, the awards celebrate the very best channels and services available on Freesat, showcasing the breadth of choice and quality of programming on offer.

A panel of key individuals from the broadcasting and media industry will review nominations in seven categories from Best Entertainment Channel to Best Specialist Radio Station and additionally select a winner for the Judges’ Special Award. Judges include Radio Times Editor, Ben Preston, The Guardian’s New Media Reporter, Jemima Kiss and GMTV Chairman, Clive Jones. See the full judging panel at: www.freesat.co.uk/awards

Across all categories, the judging panel will look for examples of innovative, original, high quality programming that has particularly entertained, informed and impressed the Freesat audience. This year’s categories are:

Viewers’ Choice: Freesat Channel of the Year (voting begins 26th April 2010)
This award will also be chosen by Freesat viewers, nominating the channel or service that is on their “not to be missed” list – the one they tell their friends about. It may be the channel or service that has provided their best TV or radio moment of the year, or is simply the one they love to turn on without feeling the urge to flick the remote. All Freesat channels and services listed on the Freesat Guide will automatically be entered into this category.

Best Entertainment Channel
We know the Freesat audience love our mix of brilliant TV, radio, high definition and catch-up, all subscription free. But which digital channel offers Freesat viewers consistent, quality entertainment right across their schedule? In this category the judges will review a representative sample of programming which both demonstrates the channel’s breadth of choice and showcases innovative content that makes it truly entertaining. Entries will be accepted from any channel regardless of their Freesat Channel Guide genre.

Best News Channel
In our fast-moving 24 hour society, reliable, authoritative news coverage is critical. The winner of this award will demonstrate a commitment to original journalism of the highest order and will aim to provide revelation and fresh insight. It will have moved on the agenda and debate, promoting new understanding through analysis or reportage. Entry submissions should relate to a single news or current affairs event.

Best Themed Channel
Across the Freesat platform there are a range of channels that focus on specific themes (e.g. programme genres, strands, formats and audiences) to provide their viewers with a channel that is truly differentiated. For this award, the judges will be looking for evidence of how a channel has been created around a specific theme and how the channel succeeds in taking it beyond the schedule and into other arenas (e.g. digital, events, partnerships).

Best Lifestyle Channel
There’s something for everyone when it comes to the specialist lifestyle channels available on Freesat. The winner in this hotly contested category will be able to prove that it delivers must-watch programming for its tightly defined audience, reflecting what’s important to them and their lifestyle – their interests, pursuits, vocations. The judges will also be looking for evidence of how this channel has carved out a niche to secure viewer loyalty. Entries will be accepted from any channel regardless of their Freesat Channel Guide genre.

Best Music Channel
The selection of TV music channels available on Freesat covers a large and diverse range of musical tastes, but which can claim to be the very best on offer? Whoever they are, they’ll need to prove originality with a unique mix of music and programme formats that best serve a loyal audience if they want to impress our judges.

Best Children’s Channel
This award will recognise and reward the channel that entertains, informs and excites its young viewers. This discerning Freesat audience is always looking for something new and exciting. Our judges will be looking for the channel that gives children innovative programmes, which build a loyal following and encourage viewer interaction.

Best Shopping Channel
Shopping from the comfort of your own home has to be the ultimate retail therapy. This award will go to the channel that the judges believe best represents the ultimate TV shopping experience. They’ll be looking for examples of where original formats and programmes consistently attract a loyal and committed audience across the diverse range of shopping opportunities available on the Freesat service.

Best Specialist Radio Station
Freesat offers a wide range of digital radio stations, which cater for tightly defined audiences. So, whether it’s news and sport, comedy, drama or music there’s something for everyone. This award will go to the station that best serves and truly understands its particular target audience. The judges will be interested to see evidence of integrated web and radio output, providing plenty of opportunity for listeners to get involved with their favourite station.

Judges’ Special Award
The judging panel for the Freesat Awards 2010 brings together a prestigious group of independent and authoritative industry experts. From senior executives and programme makers through to specialist digital commentators and journalists, they absolutely know what they’re talking about when it comes to the media. This award will go to the channel or service (from a shortlist selected by Freesat) which has made the biggest impact on our viewers and listeners in the last year.

Winners will be announced at the Freesat Awards ceremony in London on Friday 30th June in front of an invited audience.

Humax should be very proud, they have been announced as winner of the prestigious T3 ‘Home Gadget of the Year’ award 2009.

The FOXSAT-HDR beat competition within their category including the Yamaha YSP-40D surround sound speaker system, Panasonic KX-TG8321 DECT phone, as well as products from other brands including Dyson, Siemens, Bosch and BT.

The award goes to show the huge success of the Freesat+ PVR product, in both innovation and useability; as well as popularity of sales. T3 said;

The Foxsat is a AAA-grade combo of excellent image quality, basic DVR functionality – record a channel whilst watching another, or record two at once – with access to Freesat, Freeview’s super-powered mutant sibling.

More award winners included:

Innovation of the Year – Spotify
Commuter Gadget of the Year – Apple iPhone 3GS
TV of the Year – Samsung UE40B7000 WW
Phone of the Year – HTC Hero
Camera of the Year – Canon EOS 50D
Computer of the Year – Lenovo Ideapad S10E
Music Product of the Year – Sony X-Series Walkman
Work Gadget of the Year – Apple MacBook Pro
Green Gadget of the Year – Sony Bravia TV
Game of the Year – Call of Duty: World at War
Retailer of the Year – Amazon.co.uk
New Media Service of the Year – BBC iPlayer HD
Drop Dead Gorgeous Gadget of the Year – Apple MacBook Pro
Launch of the Year – Google Android
Gadget You Can’t Live Without – Apple iPhone 3GS
Outstanding Contribution to Tech – Jon Rubinstein
Tech Personality of the Year – Stephen Fry
Tech Brand of the Year – Google
Gadget of the Year – HTC Hero

Thanks Raymond Reid for letting us know

On Saturday 4th July (American Independence Day), Freesat will bring viewers the prestigious BET Awards 2009 in brilliant high-definition; a UK exclusive for the subscription-free digital satellite TV service.

Held in LA (Los Angeles) on Sunday 28th June, this year’s BET Awards are hosted by Oscar winner Jamie Foxx and will feature performances from Hollywood A-listers Beyonce Knowles, Kanye West and Jay-Z.

Watching this year’s BET Awards in HD is a special bonus for Freesat HD viewers who can catch an HD simulcast of the ceremony exclusively on the BET HD channel (channel 142), on Saturday 4th July from 8.00pm. Freesat standard-definition viewers will not miss out though and can watch the awards by tuning in to the normal BET channel (Channel 140) at the same time.

The BET Awards were established in 2001 by Black Entertainment Network to celebrate the best African American talent from music, film, television and sport and previous winners include Prince, Mariah Carey, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Halle Berry.

Viewers should look out for the special BET HD channel (142) as it appears in the Freesat EPG from Thursday 2nd July until after the event.

Freesat’s MD Emma Scott comments;

Being able to broadcast this year’s BET Awards exclusively on Freesat in HD is a real coup and we hope Freesat viewers will really enjoy watching some of the world’s biggest entertainers like Beyonce and Jay Z with amazing HD picture and sound quality.

We’re committed to bringing our viewers brilliant HD programming completely subscription-free and we hope this will be the first of many Freesat HD exclusives.

This is great news for Freesat, obtaining an exclusive such as this isn’t easy with other satellite platforms available, so lets hope it’s a massive success and the start of other such exclusives.

Freesat has won the ‘Best New Brand or Business’ category at the Marketing Society Awards for Excellence, beating off competition which included the BBC’s iPlayer service.

The award reflects the great strides Freesat has made in only its first year, exceeding 400,000 sales and offering viewers over 140 digital television and radio channels, including the BBC and ITV HD services.

Will Abbott, Freesat’s marketing director comments;

We are delighted and proud to win this award as it highlights the impact we have made over the last 12 months – spending a fraction of the budget of our competitors – and the incredible work of the whole company. We’re already building on this success through 2009 – adding more customers, channels and launching IPTV services such as BBC iPlayer.

Freesat has used PR agency Borkowski since launch. Farm handle all advertising creative work and media is planned and bought by MPG.

Freesat press release

Freesat last night had their first award ceremony in London’s Pigalle Club to praise those that have made Freesat a success in its first year of release. The awards went to:

Viewers’ Choice for Channel of the Year: BBC HD
Product of the Year: Humax Freesat+
Multiple Retailer of the Year: John Lewis
Independent Retailer of the Year: Hickmans Ltd
Best Daytime Digital Channel: PopGirl/ Wedding TV
Best Digital News Channel: Al Jazeera English
Best Evening Digital Channel: BBC FOUR
Best Digital Radio Station: Planet Rock
Freesat Installer of the Year: TSG

This year’s winners were chosen by a panel of industry experts including the editor of guardian.co.uk Janine Gibson, DTG Chairman and Broadcast columnist David Docherty, Media Commentator Mark Borkowski, Radio Times TV Editor Alison Graham and Freesat MD Emma Scott. The panel was chaired by Mike Chandler, MD of Astra – also the event’s main sponsor.

In addition, leading consumer technology magazine What Hi Fi Sound & Vision selected the ‘Product of the Year’, the Confederation of Aerial Installers chose the ‘Freesat Installer of the Year’ and there was also a special public vote for the ‘Viewers’ Choice Freesat Channel of the Year’ Award.

Emma Scott, Freesat’s Managing Director commented at the awards

Tonight has been a wonderful celebration of a brilliant first year for Freesat. I’d like to congratulate the winners and thank all Freesat’s partners who have contributed to our success so far. Having already reached 400K sales and with on demand IPTV services, such as BBC iPlayer, on the way this year, we’re looking forward to building on this success through 2009 and beyond.

Congratulations to all the winners; below is more information on how the decisions were made:

Viewers’ Choice (public vote): BBC HD Channel
The BBC HD channel was a clear winner with Freesat’s viewers. The ever-growing variety of quality drama, comedy, sport and natural history programming in brilliant High Definition is building this new channel a well-earned reputation with audiences. BBC HD took the largest share of votes in the Freesat viewers’ poll, surpassing all others to become the Freesat Channel of the Year 2009.

Freesat Product of the Year (judged by What Hi Fi): Humax Freesat+
The What Hi-Fi judging panel deliberated long and hard, finally choosing the Humax Freesat+ high definition digital TV recorder as their Product of the Year. Brilliant picture and sound quality, unique Freesat+ functionality and user-friendly touches such as the option to record in either SD or HD massively impressed the What Hi-Fi panel.

Freesat Multiple Retailer of the Year: John Lewis
John Lewis’s commitment to training has certainly paid off, with their incredibly knowledgeable staff going that extra mile for Freesat customers. Strong sales in store and John Lewis’s unfailing commitment to Freesat promotion were key factors recognised by our judging panel.

Freesat Independent Retailer of the Year: Hickmans Ltd
Hickmans prides itself on being ‘the only place for Freesat’, expertly talking customers through the options and identifying the right Freesat products to meet their needs. A consistently strong sales record alongside excellent customer feedback, helped the judges choose Hickmans as Freesat Independent Retailer of the Year.

Best Freesat Digital News Channel: Al Jazeera English
A news organisation brave enough to follow its own agenda, judges felt that Al Jazeera English frequently had cause to lead others rather than follow. Equally impressive for the judges was the channel’s ‘as the world turns’ approach, providing viewers with ever-changing world perspectives on the challenging issues of the day.

Best Freesat Daytime Digital Channel: PopGirl and Wedding TV
The judges were unable to choose between these two very impressive but very different channels and eventually decided that recognising them as joint winners was the only fair decision. PopGirl offers quality programming for “girls that sparkle”. The judges agreed that PopGirl serves its young audience extremely well, offering programming loved by parents and kids alike. Taking the brand into the online space, it has successfully built a strong PopGirl community. Girl Power lives on. Wedding TV marries a real audience understanding with an impressive ability to offer unique, home-grown programming week after week. With nothing else quite like it, the judges were quickly drawn to the channel’s infectious personality and its sense of originality. A breath of fresh air.

Best Freesat Evening Digital Channel: BBC FOUR
Described as ‘an oasis of good manners,’ by the judges, BBC FOUR impressed greatly with wonderful original dramas, documentaries and music programmes – all delivered with a canny sense of the channel’s audience and identity. BBC FOUR’s ‘curated’ feel means there is always something engaging and enlightening to discover.

Best Digital Radio Station: Planet Rock
Rock is back in a big way, and Planet Rock’s devoted audience is clearly captivated by the clever mix of programming from across this massive genre. The judges were also rocked by the station’s strong sense of community and events like ‘Childline Rocks’. With a distinctive mix of famous voices, Planet Rock is rich in content and strong on listener growth. All this convinced the judges to ‘crank it up to 11.’

Freesat Installer of the Year: TSG
A hard-fought category, judges from the Confederation of Aerial Installers rated TSG above all others, recognising its long-standing achievements in the industry. A focus on training has undoubtedly paid dividends, creating a team of incredibly professional installers, always focused on doing a great job for Freesat customers.

Home Cinema Choice have today announced the Humax FOXSAT-HDR Freesat+ PVR Digital Box as the “Best Digital Recorder” in their 2009 awards in association with DTS.

Humax can take pride in fending off stiff competition from the Panasonic DMR-EX98V, Sagem DTR 6416DT and Sony RDR-HXD995; although having the in-built Freesat EPG may have been significantly important in obtaining this excellent result.

You can read more about this award and many others announced on the Home Cinema Choice website.

Following on from the announcement of the first Freesat awards, now is your chance to place a vote for the category of:

Viewers’ Choice: Freesat Channel or Service of the Year.

To vote, simply visit this page, add your vote for favourite Freesat channel or service, whether TV, radio or interactive, include your email address (to be entered into the prize draw for a home cinema system) and click ‘submit’. You will have to provide a genuine email address to confirm the vote is genuine.

Freesat have today launched its first Freesat awards. The awards recognise the outstanding contribution that Freesat partners have made in the fantastic success of Freesat in its first year. Across all of the award categories, the judges will be looking for creativity, innovation, quality, choice and brilliant customer experience. The awards ceremony will take place on 20th May 2009.

A panel of key individuals from across the broadcast industry have been brought together to form a highly experienced and expert judging panel (our invite must be lost in the post ). The panel includes The Guardian’s executive editor, Janine Gibson; DTG Chairman and Broadcast columnist, David Docherty; Media Commentator, Mark Borkowski and Freesat’s very own Managing Director, Emma Scott. The panel will be chaired by Mike Chandler, Managing Director of Astra. Astra GB is also the event’s main sponsor.

Freesat’s awards categories represent the whole viewer experience from products and channels through to retailers and installers. The full list is as follows:

Viewers’ Choice: Freesat Channel or Service of the Year
This award is for the best Freesat channel or service of the year, whether TV or radio, with the winner to be chosen by Freesat viewers. Voters will be asked to consider which channel or service has most enhanced their viewing; which has provided them with their best TV or radio moment of the year; which they have ‘discovered’ on Freesat; and which they would recommend to their friends.

Best Digital Channel: Daytime viewing
The panel will be looking for the Freesat digital channel which offers viewers the best daytime mix of programming – the channel that viewers would happily spend the whole day at home watching, without reaching for the remote.

Best Digital Channel: Evening viewing
The panel will be looking for the Freesat digital channel which offers viewers the best peak or evening mix of programming – the channel that sets the mood for a great night in.

Best Digital Radio Station
Our judges will be picking the winner for this award based on the radio station’s sense of personality and identity, quality of programming and presenting and the station’s overall creativity.

Best Digital News Channel
This award recognises the Freesat digital news channel which our judges would turn to when a big story breaks; a channel with a trusted viewpoint, that goes beyond just reporting the headlines.

Product of the Year
All Freesat products will automatically be entered into this category. The winner will be selected through a panel of industry experts. The panel will be basing their decision on product innovation, picture and sound quality, ease of use, design and value for money.

Multiple Retailer of the Year
The judging panel will be looking for exceptional knowledge from sales staff about the Freesat platform and products. Promotional activity will also be taken into consideration as well as the retailer’s Freesat sales figures. All Freesat multiple retailers will be automatically entered into this category.

‘Take a Town’ Independent Retailer of the Year
The judging panel will be looking for exceptional knowledge from sales staff about the Freesat platform and products. Promotional activity will also be taken into consideration as well as the retailer’s Freesat sales figures. This award is open to any independent retailer who has been featured in the Electrical Retail News ‘Take a Town’ section.

Freesat Installer of the Year
This award recognises the licensed Freesat installer who has demonstrated the best customer service. The judging panel will be looking at standards in customer service, customer feedback received, the number of installations carried out and the number of return visits needed.

Award winners will be announced at a special event in London on Wednesday 20th May in front of an invited audience. The event will be supporting The Eve Appeal – the gynaecology cancer research charity.

For more information, and your chance to submit an entry or to vote, visit www.freesat.co.uk/awards.

Freesat has been declared the winner of the DTG/Pace Best Contribution to Digital TV in the UK award after a close fought race.

The Award, created by the Digital TV Group and Pace Plc was presented at the IBC show in Amsterdam last night (Friday 12th September).

It recognises the project, product or service that has made, or has the potential to make, the biggest contribution to the development of digital TV in the UK.

The Freesat service won the award as it has “potential to provide high-definition to millions of viewers at an economical cost”, it is “pushing the boundaries of the specification to improve the viewer experience” and it “should form a vital element of helping to ensure the UK goes through a successful digital switch over process”, according to quotes from the voting members of the DTG Council.

Special commendations go to the BBC iPlayer launch on Virgin Media which was the close runner up for the Award. The voting panel commented that the BBC iPlayer service on the Virgin Media platform “has ignited the UK VOD market”, “is the first successful mainstream example of VOD to TV and as such leads the way to the future” and is “a service that consumers clearly want to use”.

Freesat MD, Emma Scott, said,

Freesat is delighted to accept this award amidst some strong competition. It’s great recognition of the expertise and commitment that’s gone into launching and developing such a great service.

With the support of our shareholders BBC and ITV, as well as our channel, manufacturers and retail partners, we have delivered upon our promise of brilliant free digital TV for everyone and provided an excellent value option for those who want high-definition TV without subscription. We are very much a vital piece in the future development of UK television.

Neil Gaydon, Chief Executive Office at Pace Plc, commented:

Technology innovation has been central to Pace’s success throughout our history and our reason for creating this Award. The Freesat service is an excellent example of how this industry is constantly evolving and how consumers are benefiting from new services to access digital TV services.

Simon Gauntlett, Director of Technology at the Digital TV Group added:

The UK is one of the leading digital TV markets in Europe. We are leading the way in new technologies and penetration of services. The Freesat service is a leading example of how the UK has achieved this position, and why we remain at the forefront of the marketplace.

Sky’s HD service took the honors last year.

Not looking too much into it, but wouldn’t it be nice if a Pace/Freesat agreement was just around the corner. Pace multi-room distribution server anyone?