The RTÉ Guide has teamed up with IFTA in the search for Ireland’s best TV Moment from 2011. The Irish nation can now decide what their ultimate TV Moment was in 2011, whether it was engaging, entertaining, uplifting, funny or TV that just made you  proud, you can nominate your favourite moment, by voting  online for FREE!  www.rte.ie/tvmoments. 

To help get the voting off to a gallop, an independent Judging Panel was brought in to determine the short-list of Ten Moments for the public to choose from.  The Jury panel included; international rugby star Jamie Heaslip; comedian and broadcaster Mario Rosenstock; model Rozanna Purcell and broadcaster Hector Ó h'Eochagáin; with the RTÉ Guide’s own Michael Doherty and chaired by IFTA CEO Áine Moriarty.

The RTÉ Guide Best TV Moment of 2011 nominees (in alphabetical order) are:

·         Barack Obama Addressing Ireland from College Green
·         Ireland beat Estonia and qualify for the European Championships
·         Ireland v Australia - Rugby World Cup
·         Irish teen Damien McGinty Wins The Glee Project
·         President Michael D. Higgins’ Inauguration Speech from Dublin Castle
·         Queen Elizabeth II Speech at Dublin Castle State Banquet
·         Rory McIlroy’s Major Breakthrough
·         Rose of Tralee goes Hip Hop
·         Shamrock Rovers Europa League Qualifying Goal
·         Stephen Fry’s guest appearance on Ros na Rún

You can vote now on www.rte.ie/tvmoments for the nominee you think deserves to be crowned the RTÉ Guide Best TV Moment of 2011. And as an added bonus, anyone voting will also be entered into a competition where they can win an exclusive VIP night at the Irish Film & Television Awards, taking place in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Saturday 11th of February and broadcasting on RTÉ One at 9.30pm.

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Commenting on the awards, Aoife Byrne editor of The RTÉ Guide said, “The RTÉ Guide is delighted to get behind this public award dedicated to the most memorable moments on Irish television in 2011. 2011 produced many great TV moments so it was a difficult task for the judges to reduce these to just 10. We look forward to finding out how people voted when the winner is announced at the IFTA Awards in February.”

Áine Moriarty, CEO of the IFTAs added: “2011 certainly gave the Irish public many dramatic moments both fictional and in real life all captured on-screen. These shortlisted TV Moments got the nation talking throughout the year and this People’s Choice category gives the viewing public the opportunity to cast their vote and have their say on what, for them, was the television moment of 2011. Let the debate begin!”

Voting for the RTÉ Guide Best TV Moment of 2011 closes at midnight on Sunday 5^th February 2012, the winner will be announced at the Irish Film & Television Awards on February 11th.

About RTÉ Guide

The RTÉ Guide is Irelands largest selling magazine with an ABC circulation figure of 84,018 (ABC 2010) and a readership figure of 517,000 (TGI 2011). It is a family focused lifestyle and entertainment weekly magazine with a full listing of all terrestrial and popular satellite channels. It has weekly updates on the latest movies, music and book releases and a very strong lifestyle section covering the latest trends in beauty, fashion and interiors.

For further information about IFTA visit www.ifta.ie and follow IFTA on Facebook www.facebook.com/iftaonline and Twitter www.twitter.com/iftaawards

For information on the RTÉ Guide, please contact:
Caroline Stephens, Communications, 086-8422151 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it