It took some two decades and 19 nominations for soap-opera star Susan Lucci to win an Emmy. Fortunately, interactive media didn't have to wait in the wings that long for Emmy recognition. This year, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has created a new awards category: Outstanding Achievement Interactive Television Programming. It applies to content on nationally distributed technology platforms--including set-top boxes and the Web--that's closely related to the content of television shows.

By creating this award, the academy shows that it recognizes how much technology has changed the future of television, says Shawn Hardin, a governor for the academy's interactive media peer group. That's not to say that the academy has been oblivious to the potential of interactive media--back in 1997, Emmy Webcasts of backstage interviews were already being used during the awards ceremony. The academy's interactive media group was formed about two years ago, but February marked the first time an interactive award was proposed to the full board of directors. A "lively debate" ensued before the proposal was approved, says Hardin, who will co-chair the jury for the award.

If the submissions aren't up to snuff, it's possible that no one will win--the new category stipulates that judges can decide not to select a winner. On the flipside, the jury also has the option to choose more than one winner. But Hardin doesn't believe finding a winner will be a problem. "There's some compelling, creative work out there," he says. "It's touching a broader, more diverse audience every year."

More information on this new category can be found at www.emmys.tv/interactive.