TPI Nominated for Webby Award

By Robert Niles Posted via 128.125.49.238 on April 12, 2005 at 9:48 AM (MST) Here's the release we're sending out this morning: PASADENA, Calif. -- The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences this morning selected ThemeParkInsider.com as a finalist in the Ninth Annual Webby Awards. The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence in Web design, creativity, usability and functionality. Winners will be announced on May 3, 2005 and honored at The Ninth Annual Webby Awards in New York City on June 6th. ThemeParkInsider.com is one of five finalists in the Best Guides/Ratings/Reviews category. "I’m thrilled that the Academy has chosen to honor a grassroots journalism site like Theme Park Insider for this award," said site founder and editor Robert Niles. "There is no better way for consumers to get the information they need about the places they want to visit than from other consumers. Theme Park Insider helps theme park fans make that connection and we're honored to be recognized for our work." As a nominee for a Webby Award, ThemeParkInsider.com is also eligible to win a People's Voice Award. Voting is open to the public from April 12th to April 29th at http://pv.webbyawards.com. The Ninth Annual Webby Awards received a record number of entries from over 40 countries and all 50 states. Founded in 1996, The Webby Awards are known worldwide for its famous five-words-or-less acceptance speeches. ABOUT THEMEPARKINSIDER.COM: ThemeParkInsider.com is the world's top online consumer guide to theme and amusement parks, and is one of five finalists in the Guides/Ratings/Reviews category. More than 10,000 registered users rate and review attractions, restaurants and hotels at more than 60 of the world's most popular theme and amusement parks on ThemeParkInsider.com. The site attracts more than 15,000 readers each day. Robert Niles, of Pasadena, Calif. is the founder and editor of ThemeParkInsider.com. A veteran journalist, Niles has built and edited websites for some of the nation's top newspapers and now edits the Online Journalism Review at the University of Southern California, where he also teaches. In 2001, the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and the Online News Association honored Niles and ThemeParkInsider.com with the Online Journalism Award in the category of Service Journalism for the site's “Accident Watch,” where registered users track injury accidents at theme parks around the world. ABOUT THE WEBBY AWARDS: Called the "Oscars of the Internet" by the New York Times, the Webby is the leading international award honoring excellence in Web design, creativity, usability and functionality. Established in 1996, the Ninth Annual Webby Awards received over 4,000 entries from all 50 states and over 40 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards are presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: The Creative Group; Adweek, Brandweek and Mediaweek magazines; IDG; Fortune and FSB; 2advanced Studius; The Online Publishing Association; PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Rackspace Managed Hosting. For more information visit http://www.webbyawards.com. ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF DIGITAL ARTS AND SCIENCES: The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of the internet and interactive media. The Academy is an intellectually diverse organization that includes over 500 members consisting of leading experts in a diverse range of fields, such as musician David Bowie, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, business guru and author Tom Peters, The Body Shop president Anita Roddick, fashion designer Max Azria, "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and Real Networks CEO Rob Glaser. The Webby Awards and The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences are registered trademarks of International Data Group. For more information, visit http://www.iadas.net. A huge thanks to everyone in the TPI community who has helped make this site such a success. Spread the word on other theme park sites, and help TPI bring home the award! Comments: From Robert OGrosky Posted via 207.89.155.80 on April 12, 2005 at 11:27 AM (MST) I got a proxy error when i treid to go on the web site to vote. Anyone have a better link??? From Robert Niles Posted via 128.125.49.238 on April 12, 2005 at 12:35 PM (MST) I've fixed to a new link for the voting: http://pv.webbyawards.com. From Ben Mills Posted via 86.130.232.72 on April 12, 2005 at 1:10 PM (MST) If Matt Groening is on the board... then that means he must have looked at the site... Quick! Someone link to the Simpsons park ideas thread! Otherwise, congrats to TPI. I've placed my vote, so now you should all go do the same. VOTE NOW! And like Robert said, start your own little campaign trail in your digital back garden. I suspect the theme park community will help out, and get behind us on this. So go to all your other park sites, and invite them to celebrate this achievement. It not only belongs to TPI, but to the whole online theme park community! Although, admittedly, mostly TPI. From Erik Yates Posted via 64.12.116.134 on April 12, 2005 at 1:18 PM (MST) Congradulations on the nomination Robert. This is a great looking site, and the reviews by readers give people that have never been to a park a great insight on how a park may or may not be, no matter how partial to Disney they may be:) From Robert Niles Posted via 128.125.49.238 on April 12, 2005 at 2:05 PM (MST) Ask and ye shall receive, Ben: Designing Itchy and Scratchy Land: Let's Build the Simpsons Park! From Robert OGrosky Posted via 207.89.155.80 on April 12, 2005 at 6:47 PM (MST) Thanks for the new link and for a great site Robert!!! From Anthony Murphy Posted via 130.126.194.248 on April 13, 2005 at 5:18 PM (MST) Great Site Robert! But the site is not in the lead!! Everybody needs to vote!! Also, somebody wrote a comment that this site is not up to date! I don't know what thier problem is! From Adrian Walker Posted via 217.44.101.214 on April 15, 2005 at 10:31 AM (MST) 'This site is not up to date'... I almost killed myself laughing when I read that. If anyone deserves to win the award, its TPI!