TiVo beats AOL, CNN, DirecTV to "interactive Emmy"

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences chosen TiVo Inc. as the recipient of an Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in interactive television. Brian Seth Hurst, who leads the Academy's Interactive Media Peer Group, cited that TiVo's early emergence and continued dominance in the digital video recorder market were what led to its triumph over the other three nominees--AOL Music on Demand, CNN Enhanced, and DirecTV Interactive Sports.

Last year's winner in the category was Cablevision in recognition of its iO Interactive Optimum Digital Cable Service.

The "interactive Emmys," which will be presented as part of the Creative Arts Awards Ceremony on August 19th in Los Angeles, consist of only two categories--non-program-specific, which is TiVo's category; and program-specific, which went last year to Nick at Nite's online "all access pass" to its TV Land Awards. These appear to be the awards-show equivalent of Olympic snowboarding--the awkwardly trendy newcomer among established behemoths like Best Supporting Actor in a Drama, or bobsledding.

No word on whether or not the interactive Emmys have plans to expand their categories to include Internet video. Perhaps then the impressive (fake) trailer for "Titanic 2: Jack's Back" will received the accolades that (this reporter thinks) it deserves.