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FIRST YouTube AWARDS HOPE TO MAKE IT BIG

Where would we be in the world today without artists like Justin Bieber? Seriously. No matter how you feel about Justin Bieber, he is one of the top-selling singers working today, and where did he get his start? YouTube.

Today, YouTube is home to short video clips, web shows, singers, funny cat videos and much more. In addition to introducing the world to a young Justin Bieber, YouTube is known for many well-known web shows such as Jenna Marbles’ “How to Trick People Into Thinking You’re Good Looking” and Pewdiepie’s video game walkthroughs. Their two channels alone attract more than 1 billion views.

The next step for this emerging entertainment superpower, naturally, is an awards show. The first ever YouTube Music Awards will air live Nov. 3 on, what else, YouTube.

The nominees, who will be announced Oct. 17, will be solely based on the amount of views a video has amassed over the past year. The winners will be determined by viewers around the world.

Jason Schwartzman, an actor best known for films such as “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” will serve as host for the show. Spike Jonze, director of “Where the Wild Things Are” and music videos like the Beastie Boys “Sabotage”, will serve as creative director.

Lady Gaga and Eminem are just a couple of the big entertainers scheduled to perform live at the show. Avid YouTube watchers can also expect performances from famous YouTubers located across the globe.

The awards will be 90 minutes in length and be broadcast from Pier 36 in New York City. Videos from all over the world are eligible, and fans are allowed one vote per video per day.

“Harlem Shake” videos and Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” might actually have a shot at awards show glory.

While they are not expected to dethrone the Grammys or even MTV’s Music Video Awards, this is just another step in establishing YouTube as one of the greatest sources for online media programming.

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