Hot Bird Awards is a prestigious, unique award, and it has been granted annually since 1996 to the best thematic satellite TV channels from all over world, which broadcast via Hot Bird Satellite. The aim of this award and the preceding contest is to distinguish those thematic satellite television channels, which’s innovativeness and creativity in a significant manner influences the quality of viewed programs. An international jury selected best television stations in 11 categories. 132 television channels from 17 countries took part in this years edition of the competition. Contents, originality and quality of programs was evaluated amongst stations broadcasting via Hot Bird satellite (members of the Eutelsat consortium) broadcasting in Europe and the basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Programs were evaluated in the following categories: children’s, cinema, culture, documentaries, fiction, HDTV, lifestyle, music, national window, news, sports.