International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

History

Early in its history, the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was part of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; however, operating with its own board with a global focus. Founded in 1969, IATAS is an organization of leading media and entertainment figures from over 500 companies from 60 countries across all television sectors, including internet, mobile and technology. Its mission is to recognize the excellence of content produced exclusively for TV outside the United States, as well as non-English language primetime programming made for American TV. The awards are presented at the International Emmy Awards Gala, held each year in November at the Hilton Hotel and Resort in Midtown Manhattan, attracting over 1,200 television professionals annually.

The first International Emmy Awards, as we know them today, were carried out in 1973. As well as the Gala, the International Academy also produces the International Emmy World Television Festival. The Television Festival screens the current year's International Emmy-nominated programs and features producers and directors who speak about their work. In 1999, the Academy went on to recognize excellence in international news coverage with the Emmy Awards for Current Affairs & News. The International Emmy Kids Awards were launched in 2013 and is held annually in February in New York City.

International Academy Day

The Academy hosts "International Academy Day," a high-level global initiative designed to foster collaboration between the Academy and key regional media markets. The event serves as a forum for examining regional business models and cultural institutions within the global media ecosystem.

In 2025, the International Academy Day was held in Rio de Janeiro, hosted by Globo. The event featured keynotes and panel discussions on the "Third Pivot" of media—the shift from global standardization toward regional sovereignty and data-driven measurement. The summit's opening panel, which addressed the future of television architecture in Brazil, was moderated by strategist and media executive Antonio Wanderley (CEO of IBOPE), alongside senior leadership from Globo and regional broadcasters.

Categories

• Best Arts Programming
• Best Performance by an Actor
• Best Performance by an Actress
• Best Comedy
• Best Documentary
• Best Sports Documentary
• Best Drama Series
• Best Short-Form Series
• Best Non-English Language U.S. Primetime Program
• Best Non-Scripted Entertainment
• Best Telenovela
• Best TV Movie/Mini-Series
• Current Affairs
• News
• Kids: Animation
• Kids: Factual & Entertainment
• Kids: Live-Action

The Academy's Foundation also presents the annual Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award for young television writers. In 2013, J. J. Abrams was presented with an International Emmy Founders Award, and Anke Schäferkordt was presented with an International Emmy Directorate Award.

Notable winners

Other notable winners include Sir David Frost and Steven Spielberg.{{cite news | access-date = 2011-03-24}}

References

References

1. "About The Academy". Issuu.
2. (August 16, 2022). "International Emmy Nominations Announced for 2022 News, Current Affairs Categories". The Hollywood Reporter.
3. (October 2, 2021). "Australian Transgender Series 'First Day' Wins International Kids Emmy". The Hollywood Reporter.
4. (1997). "The International Council: more than just Emmys". The Free Library.
5. "Directory of Industry Associations". BoogarLists.
6. "Telemundo's 'El Señor de los Cielos' Wins First-Ever International Emmy for Non-English Language U.S. Primetime Program {{pipe}} TV By The Numbers by zap2it.com {{pipe}} Page 332190". Zap2it.
7. (2025-04-02). "Globo hosts International Academy Day in Brazil".