Streaming series continue to make a tremendous impact among viewers and industry observers, while also making a strong showing in awards season. With the growing popularity and increasingly excellent production quality of these shows, it’s no wonder that the TV industry’s most prestigious honor – the Emmy – is already taking notice of original content produced for online and streaming viewers.

Today’s announcement of the nominees in the newly expanded digital series class for the 2016 Daytime Emmy Awards is testimony to the impact and growth of new media, plus the formidable talents of the actors and production talent that make them possible.

The nominees, announced this past Thursday (March 24th), will compete for honors in the Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series Category (formerly known as New Approaches – Drama Series), plus the newly introduced Outstanding Actor and Actress In A Digital Daytime Drama Series categories.

The ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 1st in Los Angeles, California. However, officials for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (the people who hold the Daytime and Primetime Emmys each year) said that, due to lack of money, sponsors and considerable production expense issues, this year’s event will not be televised. As of now, plans for streaming the awards online have yet to take shape.

Nominated in all 3 categories is WINTERTHORNE, created by and co-starring Michael Caruso, and directed by Emmy-winning soap veteran Sonia Blangiardo, plus the long-running THE BAY, created by Gregori J. Martin. Alongside its nomination for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series, THE BAY also dominated the acting categories with the most nominations: 3 for Outstanding Actress (co-stars Mary Beth Evans, Patsy Pease and Lilly Melgar), plus Kristos Andrews’ nod for Outstanding Actor.

Also nominated for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series is YouTube’s VANITY, co-produced by Allison Vanore (ANYONE BUT ME, PRODUCING JULIET, COST OF CAPITAL) and 2-time Primetime Emmy winner Bernie Su (honored for THE LIZZIE BENNET DIARIES and EMMA APPROVED in the Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media – Original Interactive Program category).

Sponsored by Maybelline, the drama/suspense series is produced by Su and VANITY co-executive producer David Tochterman’s newly launched production company Canvas Media Studios, in cooperation with StyleHaul, the leading style/fashion multi channel network (MCN), where VANITY made its debut last year.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the team nominated for VANITY,” says Vanore. “It was great to launch Canvas Media Studios with this series, and (to) work again alongside Bernie Su, David Tochterman, and the team at StyleHaul (the newly launched style and fashion video site). We got to create such a juicy, scripted show so entrenched in the world of YouTube fashion and beauty influencers. It was a huge undertaking, and we killed it!”

Reacting to WINTERTHORNE’s nominations for this year’s Daytime Emmys, series co-executive producer Steve Silverman says, ”WINTERTHORNE is 100% Michael Caruso, his brain-child, his vision. We all had a blast helping him turn his idea into a reality. The entire WINTERTHORNE team is beyond thrilled to be Emmy-nominated in three categories. and we congratulate all the other nominees.”

Vimeo’s EASTSIDERS and Hulu’s EAST LOS HIGH garnered nominations for best series and best actor (Van Hansis for EASTSIDERS and JD Pardo for EAST LOS HIGH). “So many people, from our cast and crew, to our producers, to our Kickstarter backers, put their all into making EASTSIDERS a reality and I am just ecstatic to have the show recognized with this honor,” says EASTSIDERS co-star/co-executive producer John Halbach. “It’s so cool that the Daytime Emmys are celebrating shows from the digital space and giving them such a huge platform.”

“I think it’s amazing that the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recognizes web series,” adds EASTSIDERS creator/co-star/co-EP Kit Williamson. “It’s such a great showcase for content creators and I’m so honored that EastSiders was included. It’s been incredible taking our show from YouTube to Logo (the popular LGBT cable network), to DVD to Vimeo, and I’m so excited (that) the journey is now taking us to the Daytime Emmys.”

The nominees for this year’s Daytime Emmys, in the digital series categories, are listed as follows:

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL DAYTIME SERIES:

EAST LOS HIGH – Hulu

EASTSIDERS – Vimeo

VANITY – Youtube

WINTERTHORNE

THE BAY

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DIGITAL DRAMA:

Kristos Andrews (as Pete Garrett) – THE BAY

Van Hansis (as Thom) – EASTSIDERS

JD Pardo (as Jesús) – EAST LOS HIGH

Kevin Spirtas (as Dominic Delacort) – WINTERTHORNE

Rick Hearst (as Mr. Ryan) – YOUTHFUL DAZE

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DIGITAL DRAMA:

Mary Beth Evans (as Sara Garrett) – THE BAY

Patsy Pease (as Lola Baker) – THE BAY

Lilly Melgar (as Janice Ramos) – THE BAY

Kathleen Gati (as Valentina Winterthorne) – WINTERTHORNE

Elizabeth Hubbard (as Eva Montgomery) – ANACOSTIA

SERIES LINKS:

Watch VANITY at: www.youtube.com/user/stylehaul

Watch WINTERTHORNE at: www.winterthorne.com

Watch THE BAY at: www.thebaytheseries.com

Watch YOUTHFUL DAZE at: www.youthfuldaze.com

Watch EASTSIDERS at: vimeo.com/ondemand/eastsiderstheseries

Watch EAST LOS HIGH at: hulu.com/east-los-high

Watch ANACOSTIA at: www.youtube.com/user/ANACOSTIASERIES