Beginning today, kids across the country can vote for their favourite Canadian-produced children's programming to pick the winners of the 2016 Rocket Prize and be entered to win one of four fantastic prize packs.

The Shaw Rocket Prize is awarded to children's programs that offer the best overall viewing experience for children and youth. As part of the campaign, nine finalists in three categories have been selected by an international jury and posted to the Rocket Prize website to be voted on by Canadian kids in their respective age categories. The winners of each category will receive a $25,000 grant to support their programming and will be announced at a gala event in Ottawa on November 23, 2016.

"The talent that makes up this year's Shaw Rocket Prize finalists represents some of the best of children's programming in Canada, and we are extremely happy to showcase their work," said Agnes Augustin, President and CEO, Shaw Rocket Fund. "We are also excited to once again give Canadian children and their families, the audience, the opportunity to choose the winners of the 2016 Rocket Prize, which makes this initiative so special."

Children 17 years of age and under are encouraged to visit rocketprizekids.ca and cast their vote by submitting a video explaining why they chose their favourite shows. Participants will be entered to win the grand prize of a trip for two to Ottawa, an iPad mini, and a $2,500 scholarship. Three additional $2,500 scholarships are also available to be won via an online vote.

"By investing in and supporting innovative, high quality Canadian children's programming, the Shaw Rocket Fund has been a champion for the development of the Canadian children's entertainment industry," said Jay Mehr, President, Shaw Communications. "This year, the Rocket Prize will continue to recognize outstanding Canadian talent while helping to foster the creation of entertaining, educational, and ground-breaking content."

Program and production company finalists in each of the three prize categories include:

Best Preschool Experience (ages 0-5)

• Kate & Mim-Mim - DHX Media
• Peg + Cat - 9 Story Media Group
• The Moblees - Shaftesbury

Best Media Experience (ages 6-12)

• Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool - Aircraft Pictures
• Slugterra - DHX Media
• Snapshots - Forte Entertainment

Best Youth or Family Audience Experience (ages 13-17)

• L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables - Breakthrough Entertainment
• Max & Shred - Breakthrough Entertainment
• Snowtime! / La guerre des tuques - CarpeDiem Film & TV

The Shaw Rocket Fund invests in the Canadian youth and children's production industries while championing Canadian children's programming at home and around the world. Through the Rocket Prize, the Fund annually hands out $75,000 honouring the very best in Canadian television programming and related digital content for kids. Previous winners include Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Next Step, Life With Derek, and Justin Time. Since its inception in 1998, the Shaw Rocket Fund has invested $127 million in Canadian children's programming.

For more information on the Shaw Rocket Fund and to register to vote for the 2016 Shaw Rocket Prize winners, please visit rocketprizekids.ca.

About Shaw Rocket Fund

The Shaw Rocket Fund is a forward thinking, independently governed not-for-profit organization dedicated to investing in quality Canadian children's, youth and family media content with financing and initiatives that support the growth of the production industry such as the much celebrated Shaw Rocket Prize. Contributors to the Fund are Shaw Communications, Shaw Pay Per View Ltd., a division of Shaw Cablesystems GP, and Shaw Direct.

About Shaw Communications

Shaw is an enhanced connectivity provider. Shaw serves consumers with broadband Internet, WiFi, video, digital phone and, through WIND Mobile, wireless services. Shaw Business Network Services provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony, video and fleet tracking services. Shaw Business Infrastructure Services provides enterprises colocation, cloud and managed services through ViaWest. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (TSX:SJR.B)(NYSE:SJR). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca