Broadcast Television Journalists Association Announces Winners of the First Critics’ Choice Television Awards

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), a new offshoot of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, today announced the winners of the first-ever Critics’ Choice Television Awards. The star-studded luncheon to acknowledge and honor the best in television was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel and hosted by So You Think You Can Dance star Cat Deeley.

Mad Men took home the prize for Best Drama Series while Modern Family won in the Best Comedy Series category. Best Reality Series was a tie between Hoarders and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, while Best Reality Show-Competition went to American Idol. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was also honored as Best Talk Show.

Actors Jon Hamm and Jim Parsons won Best Actor in a Drama Series for Mad Men and Best Actor in a Comedy Series for The Big Bang Theory, respectively. Julianna Margulies was honored as Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in The Good Wife while Tina Fey was acknowledged for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in 30 Rock. Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series was a tie between Christina Hendricks for Mad Men and Margo Martindale for Justified. Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother was named Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Busy Philipps of Cougar Town took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. John Noble won Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Fringe.

The inaugural awards show also honored Danny DeVito with the Critics’ Choice Television Icon Award, presented by “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star and creator Rob McElhenney.

See below for a complete list of winners.

Acting category nominees in attendance included: Connie Britton, Louis C.K., Courteney Cox, Alan Cumming, Cat Deeley, Mireille Enos, Michelle Forbes, Walton Goggins, Michael C. Hall, Jon Hamm, Neil Patrick Harris, Shawn Hatosy, Patricia Heaton, Christina Hendricks, Jane Lynch, Margo Martindale, Ed O’Neill, John Noble, Busy Philipps, Michael Pitt, Martha Plimpton, Danny Pudi, RuPaul, Katey Sagal, Eden Sher and Anna Torv.

Presenters at the show included: Scott Bakula, Connie Britton, Kevin Connolly, Kaley Cuoco, Zooey Deschanel, Jenna Elfman, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Gillian Jacobs, Rob McElhenney, B.J. Novak, Tyler Posey, Sam Rubin, Adam Scott, Sam Trammell, Wilmer Valderrama and Elijah Wood.

Many of the stars of the eight shows acclaimed as Most Exciting New Series were also in attendance.

The Critics’ Choice Television Awards honored programs and performances that aired between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011, except for the Most Exciting New Series, which are shows premiering after June 1, 2011.

Cable and satellite network REELZCHANNEL, available in more than 58 million homes, will broadcast the Critics’ Choice Television Awards premiering on June 22 at 8 p.m. ET and repeating at 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET. The Awards will be rebroadcast throughout the week. VH1.com will exclusively live stream the awards show on June 20 and will make select footage available for on-demand viewing following the star-studded event. VH1.com will also offer celebrity interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and an opportunity for fans to interact with celebrities backstage with its "fan-cam" stream.

The first Critics’ Choice Television Awards were executive produced by Bob Bain for Bob Bain Productions.

About REELZCHANNEL

REELZCHANNEL—TV About Movies® is the only cable and satellite network devoted to delivering entertaining and informative programming that is all about movies, including the celebrities, fashion, music and stories behind the stories. With shows featuring movie and entertainment experts, including Leonard Maltin, Richard Roeper, Sam Rubin and John Salley, viewers get trusted insight into movies wherever they’re playing, whether in theaters or at home.

REELZCHANNEL reaches more than 58 million homes on DIRECTV channel 238, Dish Network channel 299, Verizon FiOS TV channel 233, AT&T U-verse channels 799/1799HD and cable systems nationwide. Find REELZCHANNEL in your area by entering your zip code at www.reelz.com/watch. Owned by Hubbard Media Group, REELZCHANNEL is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM with an entertainment bureau in Los Angeles and sales office in New York.

About VH1

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 98 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

About BTJA

The newly formed Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) is a partner organization to the Broadcast Film Critics Association. BTJA includes TV, radio and Internet journalists who cover television on a regular basis. The organization is launching the inaugural Critics’ Choice Television Awards on June 20, 2011 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com

WINNERS OF THE FIRST CRITICS’ CHOICE TELEVISION AWARDS

Best Drama Series

“Mad Men”

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Jon Hamm – “Mad Men”

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Julianna Margulies – “The Good Wife”

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

John Noble – “Fringe”

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

TIE

Christina Hendricks – “Mad Men”