Howie Mandel, veteran actor, comedian, author and game show host, will be honoured at BANFF 2011 with the prestigious Award of Distinction. As part of the Banff World Television Awards, the Award of Distinction recognizes an outstanding Canadian whose body of work has set the standard for excellence in the country's entertainment industry.

With an impressive career encompassing virtually all aspects of the entertainment spectrum, Howie Mandel has been selected as emblematic of the influential role Canadians play in the global entertainment industry.

Previous Award of Distinction winners include Eric McCormack, Kim Cattrall, Paul Gross, Colm Feore and Paul Haggis.

The Banff World Media Festival is delighted to announce Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen of Twentieth Century Fox Television (TCFTV), as joint keynote presenters for Banff 2011.

Walden and Newman have led the blockbuster studio since December 1999, and have overseen the development of an impressive roster of hit shows, including current blockbusters GLEE and MODERN FAMILY, as well as THE SIMPSONS, FAMILY GUY, 24, BONES, PRISON BREAK, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and THE X-FILES among many others.

Register for Banff 2011 today and join this incredible team for a look at some of the secrets behind their success.

BANFF 2011 will be here before you know it - don't miss your chance to save with the 2011 Reward Rate. Register now! 

(a) Children's Programs (2+) - Fiction - fictional programming that is clearly intended to entertain or inform children whether it’s a comedy, a special, a series or other format.

(b) Children’s Programs – Non-Fiction - non-fiction programming that is clearly intended to educate and inform children in a short-form, documentary-style format. 

(c) Youth Programs (13+)** - Fiction - fiction programming intended for young people aged 13 years and older, with a program style targeted to teens and young adults. Movies and series are all eligible in this category.

(d) Youth Programs (13+) – Non-Fiction - non-fiction programming intended for young people aged 13 years and older, with dynamic engaging content that informs and educates based on the life events of teens and young adults.
 

For more information on these and other 2011award categories, click here

To enter the Banff World Television Awards, click here. Early bird submission deadline is January 28th, 2011.

The call for entries for the Banff World Television Festival Program Competition is now open. The Program Competition looks to honour the best programming across all areas of entertainment, including digital media, drama, and documentary.

The Banff World Television Awards is the largest international program competition in the television industry attracting more than 1000 entries for its 29 program categories annually. This year 29 Awards will be handed out during the Banff World Television Festival in Banff, Alberta that runs June 12-15th, 2011. Click here for a full list of categories.

Early Bird deadline is January 28, 2011

Final submission deadline is February 18, 2011.