The GLAAD Media Awards for 2013

NEW YORK, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Television shows "The New Normal" and "Smash," animated film "ParaNorman," and "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert were among nominees on Wednesday, January 16th, for the GLAAD Media Awards.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which monitors media depiction of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people, announced more than 150 nominees for its 24th annual awards in categories ranging from film and theater to journalism and music.

"ParaNorman," an Oscar nominee for best animated feature, was nominated by GLAAD for outstanding film in wide release, along with "Cloud Atlas," which features several heroic gay characters, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" and "Your Sister's Sister."

The first PG-rated animated film to be nominated by GLAAD, "ParaNorman" tells the story of a New England boy who can seemingly speak with the dead, and is bullied and ostracized because of his ability.

Best documentary Oscar nominee "How to Survive a Plague," about 1980s AIDS activists, was cited by GLAAD in its documentary category, along with "Vito," which looks at the life of film historian and gay activist Vito Russo, who was one of GLAAD's founding members.

Nominated television dramas also included "Grey's Anatomy," "True Blood," "Degrassi" and "The L.A. Complex."

Musicians included Frank Ocean, Rufus Wainwright and Lambert, as well as groups Gossip and Scissor Sisters. Wainwright and Lambert are openly gay, while Ocean made headlines last year as one of the first hip-hop singers to come out.

Besides "The New Normal," about two gay men adopting a baby, the comedy series nominees included "Glee," "Go On," "Happy Endings" and "Modern Family."

"This year's nominees enlighten and entertain, but also reflect a new American landscape where a growing majority accept and value their LGBT family, colleagues and friends," said GLAAD president Herndon Graddick in a statement.

"Now, more than ever," Graddick added, "viewers not only accept gay and transgender plot lines, they expect them."

Newer categories will honor comic books, blogs and multimedia digital journalism.

The Boston Globe and the Baltimore Sun were among nominees for overall newspaper coverage, while The New Yorker and People were included as magazine nominees.

Nationally known journalists including Frank Bruni of The New York Times and Andrew Sullivan, who was nominated for an article on President Barack Obama that ran in Newsweek, were also included, as were 33 Spanish-language nominees in eight categories.

The awards will be presented at a series of galas in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco from March through May.

GLAAD was founded more than 25 years ago to foster positive images of the lives of gay people in the wake of sensational and often inaccurate media reporting on AIDS and other topics. (Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Jill Serjeant, Philip Barbara and Vicki Allen)

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