Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Facts for Kids

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences


Founded	1946; 79 years ago (1946)
Legal status	501(c)(6)
Location	North Hollywood, California, United States
Area served	Television industry
Product	Primetime Emmy Award
Key people	Frank Scherma (Chairman and CEO)
Revenue (2019)	$36,921,627

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), often called the Television Academy, is a special group that helps the television industry in the United States grow and improve. It started in 1946 and is a non-profit organization. The Academy is famous for giving out the Primetime Emmy Awards each year. These awards celebrate the best shows and people in U.S. primetime television. The Television Academy works with two other groups, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Together, they present all the different Emmy Awards for various types of TV programs.

History of the Television Academy
- How the Academy Started
- Growth and Changes
The Famous Emmy Award
Other Emmy Award Groups
What the Academy Does
Who Leads the Academy Now
Television Hall of Fame
See also

History of the Television Academy

How the Academy Started

Syd Cassyd believed television could be a great tool for learning. He wanted to create an organization that would focus on serious discussions about TV, not just the glitz and glamour. He also wanted it to honor the very best achievements in the industry.

In 1946, Syd Cassyd gathered leaders from the early television world. He founded the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles, much like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for movies.

Growth and Changes

In 1955, Cassyd's Academy in Los Angeles joined with a similar group in New York, started by Ed Sullivan. They formed the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).

However, in 1977, the Los Angeles group decided to become separate again. They kept the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Los Angeles Emmy Awards.

In 2014, the organization updated its public name to the Television Academy. They also got a new logo. This change helped make their identity clearer and more modern. The new logo uses a line that looks like a screen, symbolizing a "portal" to the world of television.

In 2016, Hayma Washington became the chairman and CEO of the Academy. He was the first African-American person to hold this important position.

The Famous Emmy Award

The courtyard and Emmy Award statue at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences facility on Lankershim

In 1949, the Television Academy held the very first Emmy Awards ceremony. This event was created to celebrate excellent TV shows in the U.S. At first, it only included shows from the Los Angeles area.

The name "Emmy" came from "Immy." This was a nickname for the "image orthicon" camera tube, which was very important for early television. The word was changed to "Emmy" to sound more like the award statue. The statue shows a winged woman holding an atom, representing art and science.

Other Emmy Award Groups

The Emmy Awards are managed by three main organizations. Each one focuses on different parts of television programming:

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences handles primetime shows.
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences covers daytime, sports, news, and documentary programs.
The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gives awards for international TV shows.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences also presents the Los Angeles Emmy Awards for local programming.

What the Academy Does

Besides giving out the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Television Academy does many other things:

It publishes emmy magazine, which has won awards.
Through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, it runs the Archive of American Television. This archive saves interviews and stories from TV history.
It hosts annual College Television Awards for student films.
It offers the Fred Rogers Memorial Scholarship to help students.
It provides student internships and other educational programs to help young people learn about television.

Who Leads the Academy Now

The Academy is led by a team of dedicated people.

Frank Scherma is the Chairman and CEO.
Sharon Lieblein, CSA, is the Vice Chair.
Rickey Minor is the Second Vice Chair.
Ann Leslie Uzdavinis is the Treasurer.
Allison Binder is the Secretary.
Casey Bloys, George Cheeks, Pearlena Igbokwe, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Lisa Nishimura, and Zack Van Amburg are Chair's Appointees.
Eddie Bonin, Debra Curtis, Jill Dickerson, and Troy Underwood are Governors' Appointees.
Cris Abrego is the Chair of the Television Academy Foundation.

Television Hall of Fame

The Television Academy also has a Hall of Fame. It was started by John H. Mitchell, a former president of the ATAS. The Hall of Fame honors people who have made amazing contributions to U.S. television. New members are added to the Hall of Fame from time to time, but not every year.

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences facts for kids

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