Logie Award

Infobox award
name = Logie Award
current_awards =

---

imagesize = 130px
caption = TV Week Logie Award
description = Exellence in Australian television
presenter = TV Week
country = Australia
location = Typically shared between Sydney and Melbourne
year = January 15, 1959
year2 =
website = http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/section.aspx?sectionid=1923&sectionname=logies&subsectionid=9698&subsectionname=logieawards

The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award [cite web | title=Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent | publisher=ninemsn.com.au | url=http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=82051] , the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird a Scotsman who invented the television as a practical medium. Awards are given in many categories, but the most widely-publicised and prestigious award is the Gold Logie, which is awarded to the 'most popular personality on Australian television'.

"Home and Away" is the most successful programme in Logies history, having won 31 awards since it premiered in 1988. "A Country Practice" follows as the second most successful programme, having won 30 awards throughout its twelve year run. Notable achievements then include: "Blue Heelers" (25 Logies) and "Neighbours" (22 Logies).

History

The first awards, known as the "TV Week Awards", were instigated by "TV Week" magazine after the first voting coupons were released in the magazine in late 1958, two years after the introduction of television in Australia. The first awards saw no formal ceremony; they were presented on January 15, 1959 on an episode of "In Melbourne Tonight". Only Melbourne television personalities were nominated and awards were given in eight categories, including two for American programs. [cite news | first=Frank | last=Crook | coauthors= | title=Logies celebrate 50 years | date= | publisher=News.com.au | url =http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23633064-5015730,00.html | work =The Daily Telegraph | pages = | accessdate = 2008-05-23 | language = ]

The following year, Kennedy coined the name 'Logie Awards'. In the same year, the first Gold Logie, considered by some to be equivalent to the 'Star of the Year Award' presented in 1959, was presented.

In 1961 the awards ceremony was televised for the first time, with the ABC screening the first half hour of the awards in Sydney.

In 1973 the media were invited for the first time to attend the Logies.

In 1984 the Hall of Fame Logie was introduced by "TV Week" to recognise outstanding and continued contribution to television by an individual or program with the induction of Hector Crawford.

Nomination and voting procedures

Many of the Logie categories are voted by the readers of "TV Week" magazine using coupons in the magazine and online forms. SMS (short message service) was introduced in 2006. Thus, the majority of Logie Awards are fan awards. The readership of "TV Week" is a relatively small proportion of the Australian population, and skews heavily to teenage girls. [cite press release | title=TV Week Media Kit | publisher=ACP | url=http://download.mediakitmanager.com/ACP%5CMajor%20Womens%5CMediaKit-TV+Week.pdf | accessdate=2007-09-04] The 'Most Outstanding' categories are voted on by a jury comprising members of the Australian TV industry and are thus industry awards.

In 2008, internet votes could be cast for the first time without having to by a copy of the TV Week magazine. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Logies voting switch a boon | date=2008-02-04 | publisher=News.com.au | url =http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23153101-5006022,00.html | work =Herald Sun | pages = | accessdate = 2008-05-24 | language = ]

To be eligible to receive a Logie, a programme must be Australian produced, set in Australia and have a predominantly Australian cast. Although in other years there has been a Logie for Most Popular Foreign Programme, this award was not part of the 2007 or 2008 awards.

People eligible for a Logie must have appeared on an Australian-produced show that was broadcast on Australian television in the previous year. It's unknown whether someone who isn't an Australian but appears on an Australian-produced show that was broadcast on Australian television can be eligible for the award.

There are long-held suspicions that network publicists engage in mass voting to rig the results. However, no hard evidence has emerged for this, other than the experiment by the satirical newspaper The Chaser, who nearly caused low-profile SBS newsreader Anton Enus to win the Gold Logie. They did so by getting their small readership to buy copies of "TV Week" and vote for Enus for the award. While the attempt failed (narrowly, according to reports), their failure gives some cause for the widespread derision in the industry (particularly the 'quality' end) towards the popular-vote awards.cite news | last=Taylor | first=Chris | title=The insider | publisher=smh.com.au | date=2003-05-17 | url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/16/1052885405024.html | accessdate=2007-09-04]

There is nothing stopping Channel 31 personalities and shows being nominated for Logies, however since they're audiences are far smaller then those on the other channels, they are of a tremendous disadvantage

Awards ceremony

The Logies ceremony is televised, and has generally become more elaborate in recent years. The awards have for the past 11 years been held in a ballroom in Melbourne's Crown Casino (rather than a theatre, which is common for the Emmy Awards and Academy Awards). Dinner is served just before the ceremony and drinks are served during the ceremony.

Bert Newton has been strongly associated with the history of the Logies. As well as winning the Gold Logie four times, he hosted the awards a total of 18 times. He has also performed in well-received guest appearances. One notable appearance was with Muhammad Ali as co-presenter in 1979. Newton made a comment "I like the boy!" (in reference to a series of TV advertisements Bert had recently done), that was seen as racist by Ali, although Newton claimed this was not his intention. Ali was upset at the comment and a full apology was issued by Newton and the Awards producers.

In 1973, American actor Michael Cole generated controversy after accepting an award while apparently drunk, uttering the word "shit" in a short, incoherent acceptance speech. This was the first time the word had been said on Australian television. [ cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/thingo/txt/s1088100.htm |title=The Logies |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC] ]

GTV-9/Nine Network is also strongly associated with the history of the Logies, particularly since the parent company Publishing and Broadcasting Limited now also owns "TV Week". Nine has hosted the awards 35 times in their 49-year history.

Public voting for the awards begins in early February while the ceremony itself is in late March or early April.

Award categories

Logies are currently awarded in the following categories:

Gold Logie

ilver Logie

*Most Popular Actor
*Most Popular Actress
*Most Popular TV Presenter
*Most Popular New Male Talent
*Most Popular New Female Talent
*Most Popular Sports Program
*Most Popular Light Entertainment/Comedy
*Most Popular Australian Drama
*Most Popular Reality Program
*Most Popular Lifestyle Program
*Most Popular Factual Program

Outstanding Awards

*Most Outstanding Drama Series
*Most Outstanding Actor in a Series
*Most Outstanding Actress in a Series
*Most Outstanding Telemovie/Miniseries
*Most Outstanding News Coverage
*Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report
*Most Outstanding Documentary Series
*Most Outstanding Comedy Program
*Most Outstanding Sports Coverage
*Most Outstanding Children's Program
*Most Outstanding New Talent
*Most Outstanding Factual Series

See also

* List of Logie Hall of Fame inductees
* ASTRA Awards

References

Other references

* [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/16/1052885405024.html "The Insider", Chris Taylor, Sydney Morning Herald, May 17 2003] - article describing the Logies, as well as a comic attempt to rig the Gold Logie voting process
* [http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Logie_Awards/ IMDB page on the Logie Awards]

External links

* [http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/section.aspx?sectionid=1923&sectionname=logies&subsectionid=9698&subsectionname=logieawards TV WEEK Logies] - Official website