YouTube To Present User Awards

Video-sharing website YouTube is to present awards for the best user-generated videos of 2006.

YouTube users will be able to vote for their favourite clips in seven categories, including most creative, and "most adorable" video ever."

Pop band OK Go are among the nominees for their infamous treadmill-based music video for Here It Goes Again.

The winners will be announced on 25 March, with each receiving a trophy and a prominent spot on YouTube.

Success on the site has previously been defined largely by rankings of the most-viewed or most-discussed videos.

"We can see this being something that... becomes a bigger and more exciting event in the future.

"We wanted to call out some of the most popular videos and let the users choose which ones deserve some additional recognition," said Jamie Byrne, head of product marketing at YouTube.

"We looked at the genres of content that were the most popular last year.

"We've seen and continue to see exciting new developments in the online video space where genres are being created," added Mr Byrne.

The seven categories are: most creative, most inspirational, best series, best comedy, musician of the year, best commentary and "most adorable video ever".

Among the nominees are noted "vloggers" Paul Robinett (Renetto), British pensioner Peter Oakley, up-and-coming folk singer Terra Naomi, Star Wars parody Chad Vader, actress-turned-teenager Lonely Girl 15, and comic commentator LisaNova (Lisa Donovan).

The nominees can create new videos over the next five days to promote themselves, plead for votes and make acceptance speeches.

"We want to see how the community responds to it, but we can see this being something that grows as we continue to grow and becomes a bigger and more exciting event in the future," Mr Byrne said.

Story source: bbc.co.uk.