Special Awards

Special Awards

Every year, the International Academy presents two Special Awards to individuals or organizations who have made a global impact on the Arts & Sciences of television. 

International Emmy® Founders Award

The International Emmy Founders Award celebrates the accomplishments of an individual or organization, whose work is recognized throughout the world, embodying the vision of the founders of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, crossing cultural boundaries to touch our common humanity.

  • Jesse Armstrong – Presented by Casey Bloys

    2023

    Writer, Creator & Showrunner

  • Ava DuVernay – Presented by Blair Underwood and Benjamin Bratt

    2022

    Film & TV Director, Writer and Producer, Selma and A Wrinkle in Time

  • David Benioff & D.B. Weiss – Presented by Conleth Hill

    2019
  • Greg Berlanti – Presented by Julie Plec & Sullivan Stapleton

    2018

    Writer, Director & Producer

  • Shonda Rhimes – Presented By Tony Goldwyn

    2016

    Executive Producer and Creator, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice and How to Get Away with Murder

  • Julian Fellowes – Presented By Elizabeth McGovern and Gareth Neame

    2015

    Writer & Creator, Downton Abbey

  • Matthew Weiner – Presented By Christina Hendricks and John Slattery

    2014

    Creator/Executive Producer/Writer/Director
    Mad Men

  • J.J. Abrams – Presented By Zachary Quinto

    2013

    Producer/Creator/ Writer/Director

  • Alan Alda – Presented By Ryan Murphy

    2012

    40th Anniversary Special Founders Award

  • Norman Lear – Presented By Ryan Murphy

    2012

    40th Anniversary Special Founders Award

  • Ryan Murphy – Presented By Jessica Lange

    2012

    Showrunner

  • Nigel Lythgoe – Presented By Lady Gaga

    2011

    Executive Producer, American Idol and Co-Creator & Executive Producer, So You Think You Can Dance

  • Simon Cowell – Presented By Rupert Murdoch

    2010

    Founder
    SYCO

  • Sir David Frost – Presented By Barbara Walters

    2009

    Journalist & Producer

  • Dick Wolf – Presented By the Cast of Law & Order

    2008

    Creator & Executive Producer, Law & Order

  • Al Gore – Presented By Robert De Niro

    2007

    Chairman, Current TV

  • Steven Spielberg – Presented By Katie Couric

    2006


  • Oprah Winfrey – Presented By Hillary Clinton

    2005

    Chairman, Harpo Inc.

  • MTV International

    2004


  • HBO

    2003


  • Howard Stringer

    2002

    Sony Corporation of America

  • Pierre Lescure

    2001

    COO, Vivendi Universal, Chairman of the Executive Board of the CANAL+ Group, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CANAL+S.A

  • John Hendricks

    2000

    Discovery Communications
    US

  • Hisashi Hieda

    1999

    Fuji-TV
    Japan

  • Robert Halmi, Sr.

    1998

    RHI Entertainment

  • Jac Venza

    1997

    WNET
    New York

  • Reg Grundy

    1996

    Grundy Productions

  • Don Hewitt

    1995

    CBS' "60 Minutes

  • Film on Four

    1994

    Channel 4
    UK

  • Richard Dunn

    1993

    Thames Television
    UK

  • Bill Cosby

    1992

    Comedian/Actor/Producer

  • Adrian Cowell

    1991

    Central Television
    UK

  • Joan Ganz Cooney and the Children’s Television Workshop

    1990


  • Paul Fox

    1989

    BBC Television
    UK

  • Goar Mestre

    1988

    Latin American Broadcasting Pioneer

  • Jacques-Yves Cousteau

    1987

    Cousteau Society

  • Donald L. Taffner

    1986

    D.L. Taffner/Limited

  • Sir David Attenborough

    1985

    Creator/Writer/Producer/TV Host

  • David L. Wolper

    1984

    Producer/Television Executive

  • Herbert Brodkin

    1983

    Titus Productions

  • Michael Landon

    1982

    Executive Producer/Director/Writer/Performer

  • Shaun Sutton

    1981

    Head of BBC-TV's Drama Group

  • Roone Arledge

    1981

    ABC's "Wide World of Sports

  • Jim Henson

    1980

    Creator of the Muppets

International Emmy® Directorate Award

The International Emmy Directorate Award is presented to organizations or individuals in management, administration, engineering, news, programming, and/or international relations for outstanding contributions over a period of time to the arts and sciences of international television.

  • Ektaa R. Kapoor – Presented by Dr. Deepak Chopra

    2023

    Co-Founder Balaji Telefilms

  • Miky Lee – Presented by Song Joong-ki

    2022

    Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group

  • Thomas Bellut – Presented by Dirk Nowitzki

    2021


  • Christiane Amanpour – Presented by Iman

    2019
  • Sophie Turner Laing – Presented by Dana Walden

    2018

    Presented by Dana Walden, Fox Television Group Chairman and CEO

  • Emilio Azcárraga – Presented By David Zaslav

    2017


    President & CEO, Grupo Televisa

  • Maria Rørbye Rønn – Presented By Birgitte Hjort Sorenson

    2016

    CEO & Director General, DR TV

  • Richard Plepler – Presented By Michael Douglas

    2015


    Chairman & CEO, HBO

  • Roberto Irineu Marinho – Presented By Gloria Pires, Milton Goncalves and Rupert Murdoch

    2014

    Chairman & CEO of Grupo Globo

  • Anke Schäferkordt – Presented By Wladimir Klitschko

    2013

    CEO Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland & CO-CEO RTL Group

  • Dr. Kim In-Kyu – Presented By J.Y. Park

    2012

    President & CEO, Korean Broadcasting System President, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union

  • Subhash Chandra – Presented By Richard Parsons & Archie Panjabi

    2011

    Chairman, Zee TV

  • Lorne Michaels – Presented By Jimmy Fallon and Alec Baldwin

    2010

    Creator & Executive Producer, Saturday Night Live

  • Prof. Markus Schächter – Presented By Henry Kissinger

    2009

    Director General, ZDF

  • Liu Changle – Presented By Elaine Chao

    2008

    Chairman & CEO, Phoenix Satellite Television

  • Patrick Le Lay – Presented By Carole Bouquet

    2007

    Chairman, TF1 Group, France

  • Ronald S. Lauder – Presented By Richard Parsons

    2006

    Founder and Chairman, Central European Media Enterprises (CME)

  • Charles Allen – Presented By Helen Mirren

    2005

    Chief Executive, ITV

  • Herbert Kloiber

    2004

    Managing Director, Tele-München Group

  • Greg Dyke

    2003

    Director General, BBC, UK

  • Katsuji Ebisawa

    2002

    President, NHK Japan

  • Gustavo Cisneros

    2001

    Chairman, Organizacion Cisneros

  • Su-Ming Cheng

    2000

    CEO China-TV, Taiwan

  • Ralph Baruch

    1999

    Founder, Viacom

  • Sam Nilsson

    1998

    President, Sveriges Television, Sweden

  • Dieter Stolte

    1997

    Intendant, ZDF
    Germany

  • Hebert A. Granath

    1996

    Chairman, ABC/Disney Cable International

  • John Birt

    1995

    Director General, BBC, UK

  • Dr. Helmut Thoma

    1994

    Managing Director, RTL
    Germany

  • Andre Rousselet

    1993

    Chairman, Canal Plus
    France

  • Silvio Berlusconi

    1992

    President, Fininvest Gruppo

  • Henry Becton

    1991

    President, WGBH
    Boston

  • Henrikas Yushkiavitshus

    1990

    Assistant Director-General
    UNESCO

  • R.E. “Ted” Turner

    1989

    President, Turner Broadcasting System (Citation) Murray Chercover
    Canada

  • Vittorio Boni

    1988

    Director, International Relations, RAI

  • Jeremy Isaacs

    1987

    Channel 4 Television
    UK

  • Herbert Schmertz

    1986

    Public Affairs, Mobil Oil Company

  • Leonard H. Goldenson

    1985

    American Broadcasting Companies

  • Lord Sydney Bernstein

    1984

    Founder, Granada Television
    UK

  • Dr. Roberto Marinho

    1983

    TV Globo Network of Brazil

  • Akio Morita

    1982

    Sony Corporation

  • Sir Huw Wheldon

    1981

    Retired (1976) Managing Director of BBC-TV

  • Lord Grade of Elstree

    1980

    Chairman of the Board, Associated Communications Corp., UK

  • Dr. Frank Stanton

    1979

    CBS, Incorporated 1978 Prix Italia

  • Alphonse Quimet

    1977

    Telesat, Canadian TV

  • Talbot S. Duckmanton

    1976

    President, Asian Broadcasting Union, CBE (Citation) Howard Thomas, Chairman of the Board, Thames Television, Ltd. (Citation) Dr. Roberto Marinho, President, TV Globo Network of Brazil

  • Junzo Imamichi

    1975

    Tokyo Broadcasting System

  • Dr. Joseph Charyk

    1974

    Communications Satellite Corporation

  • Charles Curran

    1973

    European Broadcasting Union, Director General, BBC