Ben Mulroney to host Canadian New Media Awards December 1st

The Canadian New Media Awards announced yesterday that Ben Mulroney will be hosting the awards gala on December 1st.

Mulroney, of etalk and Canadian Idol fame, to name a few of his endeavours, has been a fixture at other award shows in the past, including the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys and JUNO Awards.

“We’re very pleased to be welcoming Ben to host the 2010 awards,” said Jory Groberman, executive director of nextMEDIA, the organization behind the CNMAs. “He’s a Canadian favourite, internationally recognized, and a keen social media enthusiast.”

It might be surprising to see such a mainstream figure in Canadian entertainment as the host of what is nominally an industry event, but this year’s CNMAs seemed to be geared towards getting mainstream publicity for award winners. In addition to Mulroney, comedian Alan Park, formerly of the now-retired Royal Canadian Air Farce, and Jarett Cale, star of Showcase’s Pure Pwnage, will also be hosting and presenting awards.

Mulroney will be presenting five new awards: Digital Media Technology of the Year; Best Online Program, Series or Film; Community Campaign of the Year; Interactive Designer of the Year; and Digital Media Woman of the Year.

For more information on the Canadian New Media Awards, check them out here.