Artists, record labels, music blogs, iTunes, fans, remixes and Twitter: They’ve all changed the way we experience and consume music, and they’re all proof that the time has come to redefine the awards show experience. MTV — the network that has defined the music industry for 30 years — is (re)applying for that job. With the JESS3 team as their digital partner, MTV has not only set out to give a voice to the people with the inaugural O Music Awards — they’ve built something that blends and transcends all types of music media.

So what are the O Music Awards all about? Airing last night at 8pm PST/11pm EST, the show gave fans complete control in choosing the best in the world of digital music. No red carpets, no committees, just the fans and the worldwide web. Nominations were solicited in 20 categories. Those who received the most nominations were added to the awards race. Winners were determined by online and SMS votes, plus Tweets and Facebook likes. As a reward for participating, voters earned special badges and points, tracked in their own Super Fan dashboard.

Like the voting process, the show itself belongs to the fans. Viewers can select from three camera views — the live show streaming from Freemont Street in Las Vegas, the audience reel or Chiddy Cam, which chronicled Chidera “Chiddy” Anamege’s attempt to earn the Guinness World Records title for “Longest Freestyle Rap.”

The O Music Awards show is a celebration of the digital music experience, reinforcing what music means today in the online world of Twitter, fan forums, innovative artists and more. The O can be interpreted as anything and everything. It’s the openness of the nominations and voting; it’s the ongoing mission to educate; it’s the online community that cast nearly 3 million votes in just three weeks.

JESS3 was proud to assist with the strategy and production of this incredible feat. We love the Internet more than life itself, and we’re extremely excited that MTV “gets it,” chose to work with us and stepped up to the plate to create the O Music Awards community.

And, on a personal note: Having produced one of the oldest political talk shows (The McLaughlin Group) with my partner in crime, Leslie Bradshaw, it is amazingly poetic to be sitting next to her again tonight as Executive Producers of the world’s first entirely digital music awards show..

Log on, Check in, and Rock out: The revolution will not be televised.

Tags: award show, gui, JESS3, logo design, mtv, omas, ongoing, Online, open