Frankfurt Ebook Awards Discontinued

Posted on April 17, 2002

The International eBook Award Foundation (IeBAF), creator of the Frankfurt eBook Award, announced that due to the current business environment, it would discontinue the annual award and suspend all activities relating to the Foundation. The Board members will resign on April 30, 2002. The company was unable to obtain additional funding from Microsoft, the main sponsor of the organization, or find any new sponsors.

Alberto Vitale, Chairman of the International eBook Award Foundation, said, "It has become increasingly difficult to raise the necessary funding to continue the worldwide work of the International eBook Award Foundation. We are very gratified to know that the contributions of the IeBAF over the past two years had a powerful and positive role in developing the awareness and importance of ebook publishing in the United States and around the world. As 'missionaries' highlighting the rich potential of ebooks, the Foundation had a strong impact on bringing together the best examples of this creative form and spurring the industry's early growth. We remain confident that, over time, the ebook will emerge as an enormously successful medium for publishers and authors, and a commendable s ource for readers."

The Frankfurt eBook Awards were first given in 2000, but lasted for only two years. Fortunately, the Frankfurt is not the only ebook award for authors, but authors will certainly miss its $50,000 grand prizes. The Eppie Awards, a seperate independent ebook award, recently announced winners in March, 2002.