The outbreak of COVID-19, one of the most distressing crises in recent decades, has undeniably debilitated industries and impacted millions of individuals globally. In the past year, television shows, movies, and other content-rich platforms have helped people cope, proving a testament to the power of entertainment and solidifying its role as a source of comfort and distraction. Since 2013, the American Reality Television Awards (ARTAS) has recognized those who have demonstrated excellence and allowed the industry to flourish, year after year.
The American Reality Television Awards is an annual celebration started by Kristen Moss and Andrew Ward. At the core of this event is the goal of supporting, examining, and redefining the art of reality in media by rewarding excellence, encouraging experimentation, and recognizing that the public rests at the heart of the industry.
The heavy premium that the American Reality Television Awards gives on reality-based content is in acknowledgment of how prevalent and encompassing reality is. The ARTAS’ mission statement reads: “Reality is any and everything we can experience and reflect upon. Reality is the everyday moments, great and small, from birth to death. It includes the challenges, successes, and failures of our shared experience, and to experience the real is to know what it’s like to hope, to have faith, to be challenged, to love, know heartache, and to reflect on the passage of time from youth to old age.”
From the beginning, the American Reality Television Awards has valued the rich diversity of programming that has pushed reality toward the leading edge of entertainment. Additionally, it has given recognition to people in front and behind the cameras in all areas in the world of unscripted television.
This spring (or summer) of 2021, the 8th annual American Reality Television Awards will once again reward winners of network, cable, and streaming shows and their talent. Expected to gather an average of 2,000,000 votes in all categories, it will highlight the personalities on and off-camera who have contributed to the growth of the entertainment scene and have made it possible for the industry to bring solace to viewers amidst today’s uncertain times. In addition, it is set to induct another powerhouse into its Reality TV Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, which is the result of the American Reality Television Awards’ expansion and inclusion of a Humanitarian Award, has spotlighted the breadth of work of Heidi and Spencer Pratt in 2015 and the iconic supermodel, Janice Dickinson in 2016.
The American Reality Television Awards, whose public voting started on March 1, is armed with the vision of continuing to transform into the premier awards show for reality television, reaching more viewers by being broadcast on a major cable or streaming network in the future.
The American Reality Television Awards aims to continue honoring those who live, tell, and shape stories that have the ability to connect and bring people closer.
Learn more about ARTAS by visiting its website and Instagram page.