Television Academy Launches Educational Broadband Video Web Site

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, the Television Academy's charity arm, has launched a broadband video Web site, virtualtvacademy.org, that provides visitors with free access to videotaped panel discussions about the television business, featuring prominent TV-industry professionals. "The Foundation's aim is to enlarge the community that can benefit and regularly use the social networking and information resources of the Virtual Academy," the ATAS Foundation's executive director, Terri L. Clark, said in a prepared statement. "The site will allow professors, department heads, students and seminar alumni access to these virtual sessions, which in the past were only available to faculty members chosen to take part in the Foundation's Faculty Seminar Academic program here at the Television Academy."

At launch, the site--which is targeted primarily, though not exclusively, at teachers and students--features three 5- to 10-minute videos: "Directing for TV," "Writing for Television" and "Nonfiction & Reality" (note: more videos are expected to be added over time). It allows for commenting and linking and, the ATAS Foundation says, will eventually include social-networking features. It also provides lists of panelists featured in its videos, together with their bios, news on the Primetime Emmy Awards, and an events calendar.