Voyeurism--or the need to spy on others--has been part of human history since our inception. But television and now the Internet seem only to have whetted our natural voyeuristic tendencies. Indeed, some would argue that our culture has developed an insatiable appetite for voyeurism. You need only to surf the channels to see the plethora of "real-life" specials on TV these days, offering everything from police chases and shootouts to animals attacking humans, freak accidents, wedding bloopers and heroic rescues.

The prolific use of mobile phones, cameras, CCTV, and the internet has ensured that we are never alone or unwatched, and that each of us is cast as unwitting voyeurs ourselves. New technology has enabled us to become amateur artists and removed the cloak of innocence that used to shroud candid, amateur shots. The inherently invasive quality of the photograph is discussed by critics, typically from a more theoretical standpoint than an actual examination of the historical use of photography as a tool of investigation and documentation.

The ceremony was televised in the United States by Showtime. Fan awards were also introduced in Winners were selected by voting two weeks before the show.