Watch The Webby Awards on YouTube

At last night's 13th Annual Webby Awards Gala in New York City, we laughed, we cried laughed, and we cheered when YouTube advertisers like Samsung (for its "Follow Your INSTINCT" campaign) were recognized for their contributions to the online video industry. (Oh, and we were thrilled to be honored for our very own YouTube Live.)

But this marks the first year that YouTube and the Webby Awards have teamed up to promote and celebrate excellence on the web.

Starting today, you can now watch the Webbys on YouTube at the official Webby Awards YouTube Channel.

This channel is a hub where marketers, publishers, and agencies can view and interact with the best videos and campaigns online today. It's truly a front row seat to the best of the Internet, including this gem from last night.

The Webby Awards YouTube Channel is best-in-class, designed by Creativity magazine's 2008 Digital Company of the Year, The Barbarian Group. And for the first time ever, the channel lets users link directly to a particular video within the branded environment.

On the channel, you can design your own unique Webby Awards experience: see all the action from the 13th Annual Webby Awards including red carpet footage, 5-word acceptance speeches, and exclusive gala videos from the best and brightest of the Internet.

So we invite you to check out the channel, bookmark it, share it with your friends and colleagues, and come back often -- new content will be added throughout the year.

And congrats to all the winners! YouTube salutes you.

Posted by Kristin Kovner & Jennifer Hyman, YouTube Business Marketing