Editing Webby Awards (section)

== Criticism ==

The Webbys have been criticized for their pay-to-enter and pay-to-attend policy (winners and nominees also have to pay to attend the award ceremony), and thus for not taking most websites into consideration before distributing their awards.<ref name=tribune>{{cite news| publisher=Chicago Tribune| date=May 14, 2008<!--| url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/may/14/news/chi-hypertext-webbys-0514may14-->| url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-05-14/features/0805120221_1_webby-awards-digital-arts-awards-show| title=Critics pour vitriol on Webby Awards| first=Steve| last=Johnson| access-date=April 2, 2010| archive-date=November 15, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115015038/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-05-14/features/0805120221_1_webby-awards-digital-arts-awards-show| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=What? You've Not Been Honored by the Webbys? |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |first=Jack |last=Shafer |date=April 9, 2008 |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2188581/ |access-date=April 2, 2010 |archive-date=April 17, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100417130545/http://www.slate.com/id/2188581| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WSJ09">Taylor, Marisa (May 7, 2009) [https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/07/the-annual-controversy-over-the-webby-awards/ The annual controversy over the Webby awards.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123040918/https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/07/the-annual-controversy-over-the-webby-awards/ |date=November 23, 2017 }} ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', ''Digits'' blog. Retrieved April 2, 2010.</ref>  [[Gawker]], its [[Valleywag]] column, and others, have called the awards a scam, with Valleywag saying, "...somewhere along the way, the organizers figured out that this goofy charade could be milked for profit."<ref name=valleywag>{{cite web | first = Owen | last = Thomas | title = The Webby Awards Remain the Best Scam Going | date = April 5, 2009 | publisher = [[Valleywag]] | url = http://gawker.com/5240982/the-webby-awards-remain-the-best-scam-going | access-date = April 2, 2010 | archive-date = March 27, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100327044556/http://gawker.com/5240982/the-webby-awards-remain-the-best-scam-going | url-status=dead}}</ref>

In response, Webby Awards executive director David-Michel Davies told the ''Wall Street Journal'' that entry fees “provide the best and most sustainable model for ensuring that our judging process remains consistent and rigorous and is not dependent on things like sponsorships that can fluctuate from year to year.”<ref name="WSJ09"/>