CRITICS' CHOICE TELEVISION AWARDS ANNOUNCES LOUIS XIII GENIUS AWARD RECIPIENT SETH MacFARLANE AND "MOST BINGEWORTHY SHOW" AWARD

American Horror Story: Freak Show, Empire, Game of Thrones, Orange Is the New Black, Vikings and The Walking Dead Nominated for Fan-Voted Award

Voting Opens Today, May 18 at AETV.com/Bingeworthy

MAY 18, 2015 (Burbank, CA) - The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) today announced that Seth MacFarlane, creator of long-running Emmy Award-winning TV series Family Guy and the Emmy Award-winning series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, will receive the Critics' Choice LOUIS XIII Genius Award for demonstrating unprecedented excellence in the television arts at this year's Critics' Choice Television Awards (CCTA).

BTJA also announced the nominees for the inaugural "Most Bingeworthy Show" award, which include American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX), Empire (FOX), Game of Thrones (HBO), Orange Is the New Black (Netflix), Vikings (History) and The Walking Dead (AMC). Beginning today, May 18, fans will be able to vote for their favorite on Twitter or at www.AETV.com/Bingeworthy. The winner will be announced at the Critics' Choice Television Awards, hosted by So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley and airing live on A&E from the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, May 31 (8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT).

"Whether he's in the writer's room, behind the camera or in the recording studio, Seth MacFarlane has become one of Hollywood's most beloved talents," said BTJA President Joey Berlin. "MacFarlane's work has been a fixture on our screens - both large and small - for almost two decades. His humor and talent is undeniable, and we're honored to present him with the Critics' Choice LOUIS XIII Genius Award."

Two-time Emmy Award winner, Academy Award nominee and three-time Grammy Award nominee Seth MacFarlane, is a true triple threat. When his award-winning series Family Guy launched in 1999 on FOX, Creator/Executive Producer, Writer and Voice Talent MacFarlane was only 24, making him television's youngest executive producer. MacFarlane's other major television credits include long-running series American Dad! (FOX/TBS) and the CCTA and Emmy Award-winning series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, which he co-produced alongside Ann Druyan. Beyond television, MacFarlane made cinematic history with his directorial debut, the 2012 hit Ted, currently the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time. Upcoming projects include Ted 2, which comes out in theaters June 26, the live action comedy Blunt Talk, premiering August 22 on Starz and the satirical animated series Bordertown for FOX.

The nominees for the inaugural "Most Bingeworthy Show" category were selected by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association for their passionate fan bases and significant social presence. Fans can vote for their favorite today, May 18, through the first hour of the awards show on May 31, at www.AETV.com/Bingeworthy or by tweeting the hashtags below:

· American Horror Story: Freak Show - #AHSCCTA

· Empire - #EmpireCCTA

· Game of Thrones - #GameOfThronesCCTA

· Orange Is the New Black - #OITNBCCTA

· Vikings - #VikingsCCTA

· The Walking Dead - #TheWalkingDeadCCTA

The Critics' Choice Television Awards will honor programs and performances that aired between June 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015.

The red carpet preshow, "Critics' Choice Red Carpet Live," will begin at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT and will air live on A&E.

About BTJA

The 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. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com. Follow the Critics' Choice Television Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards.

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