MGEITF Channel of the Year Awards 2012:

WINNERS REVEALED

EDINBURGH, 24th August 2012 - The MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival today reveals the winners of the annual Channel of the Year Awards, hosted by comedian Jason Byrne.

In a star-studded ceremony attended by festival delegates and TV stars including Victoria  Wood, Andrew Scott, Konnie Huq, Rhys Darby, and Britain's Got Talent  winners Ashleigh and Pudsey, at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, BBC Two was named as Terrestrial Channel of the Year, stealing the accolade from last year's winner ITV1. In a double victory for the BBC, BBC Four took the Digital Channel of the Year award.

For the second year running, Terrestrial Programme of the Year went to BBC One’s Sherlock, marking a winning streak of five years for the channel’s programming in the category. It was double success for the show, which was also voted The Network and Ones To Watch Programme Choice Award.

Transatlantic hit Mad Men, broadcast on Sky Atlantic, was awarded Digital Programme of the Year.

Meanwhile, Talkback, the production company behind hit shows including Celebrity Juice and Never Mind The Buzzcocks, scooped the Indie of the Year award, which was introduced as a new category in 2011. TalkbackTHAMES won the award last year.

 BBC iPlayer took the Cross Platform Innovation Award of the Year; and Producer or Director Debutwent to producer Grace Reynolds for Channel 4's break out hit Educating Essex.

 Now in its 11th consecutive year, the Channel of the Year Awards is in recognition of the increasingly competitive and often challenging market that today's TV companies operate in, and to celebrate the creative, innovative and commercial solutions that both channels and production companies present.

 For details of previous winners go to:  http://www.mgeitf.co.uk/home/MGEITF/channel-of-the-year.aspx

-ENDS-

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