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.
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Jesse Armstrong – Presented by Casey Bloys
2023 -
Writer, Creator & Showrunner
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Ava DuVernay – Presented by Blair Underwood and Benjamin Bratt
2022 -
Film & TV Director, Writer and Producer, Selma and A Wrinkle in Time
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David Benioff & D.B. Weiss – Presented by Conleth Hill
2019
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Greg Berlanti – Presented by Julie Plec & Sullivan Stapleton
2018 -
Writer, Director & Producer
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Shonda Rhimes – Presented By Tony Goldwyn
2016 -
Executive Producer and Creator, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice and How to Get Away with Murder
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Julian Fellowes – Presented By Elizabeth McGovern and Gareth Neame
2015 -
Writer & Creator, Downton Abbey
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Matthew Weiner – Presented By Christina Hendricks and John Slattery
2014 -
Creator/Executive Producer/Writer/Director
Mad Men
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J.J. Abrams – Presented By Zachary Quinto
2013 -
Producer/Creator/ Writer/Director
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Alan Alda – Presented By Ryan Murphy
2012 -
40th Anniversary Special Founders Award
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Norman Lear – Presented By Ryan Murphy
2012 -
40th Anniversary Special Founders Award
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Ryan Murphy – Presented By Jessica Lange
2012 -
Showrunner
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Nigel Lythgoe – Presented By Lady Gaga
2011 -
Executive Producer, American Idol and Co-Creator & Executive Producer, So You Think You Can Dance
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Simon Cowell – Presented By Rupert Murdoch
2010 -
Founder
SYCO
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Sir David Frost – Presented By Barbara Walters
2009 -
Journalist & Producer
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Dick Wolf – Presented By the Cast of Law & Order
2008 -
Creator & Executive Producer, Law & Order
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Al Gore – Presented By Robert De Niro
2007 -
Chairman, Current TV
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Steven Spielberg – Presented By Katie Couric
2006 -
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Oprah Winfrey – Presented By Hillary Clinton
2005 -
Chairman, Harpo Inc.
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MTV International
2004 -
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HBO
2003 -
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Howard Stringer
2002 -
Sony Corporation of America
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Pierre Lescure
2001 -
COO, Vivendi Universal, Chairman of the Executive Board of the CANAL+ Group, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CANAL+S.A
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John Hendricks
2000 -
Discovery Communications
US
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Hisashi Hieda
1999 -
Fuji-TV
Japan
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Robert Halmi, Sr.
1998 -
RHI Entertainment
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Jac Venza
1997 -
WNET
New York
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Reg Grundy
1996 -
Grundy Productions
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Don Hewitt
1995 -
CBS' "60 Minutes
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Film on Four
1994 -
Channel 4
UK
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Richard Dunn
1993 -
Thames Television
UK
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Bill Cosby
1992 -
Comedian/Actor/Producer
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Adrian Cowell
1991 -
Central Television
UK
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Joan Ganz Cooney and the Children’s Television Workshop
1990 -
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Paul Fox
1989 -
BBC Television
UK
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Goar Mestre
1988 -
Latin American Broadcasting Pioneer
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Jacques-Yves Cousteau
1987 -
Cousteau Society
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Donald L. Taffner
1986 -
D.L. Taffner/Limited
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Sir David Attenborough
1985 -
Creator/Writer/Producer/TV Host
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David L. Wolper
1984 -
Producer/Television Executive
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Herbert Brodkin
1983 -
Titus Productions
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Michael Landon
1982 -
Executive Producer/Director/Writer/Performer
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Shaun Sutton
1981 -
Head of BBC-TV's Drama Group
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Roone Arledge
1981 -
ABC's "Wide World of Sports
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Jim Henson
1980 -
Creator of the Muppets
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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.
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Ektaa R. Kapoor – Presented by Dr. Deepak Chopra
2023 -
Co-Founder Balaji Telefilms
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Miky Lee – Presented by Song Joong-ki
2022 -
Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group
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Thomas Bellut – Presented by Dirk Nowitzki
2021 -
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Christiane Amanpour – Presented by Iman
2019
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Sophie Turner Laing – Presented by Dana Walden
2018 -
Presented by Dana Walden, Fox Television Group Chairman and CEO
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Emilio Azcárraga – Presented By David Zaslav
2017 -
President & CEO, Grupo Televisa
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Maria Rørbye Rønn – Presented By Birgitte Hjort Sorenson
2016 -
CEO & Director General, DR TV
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Richard Plepler – Presented By Michael Douglas
2015 -
Chairman & CEO, HBO
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Roberto Irineu Marinho – Presented By Gloria Pires, Milton Goncalves and Rupert Murdoch
2014 -
Chairman & CEO of Grupo Globo
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Anke Schäferkordt – Presented By Wladimir Klitschko
2013 -
CEO Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland & CO-CEO RTL Group
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Dr. Kim In-Kyu – Presented By J.Y. Park
2012 -
President & CEO, Korean Broadcasting System President, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
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Subhash Chandra – Presented By Richard Parsons & Archie Panjabi
2011 -
Chairman, Zee TV
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Lorne Michaels – Presented By Jimmy Fallon and Alec Baldwin
2010 -
Creator & Executive Producer, Saturday Night Live
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Prof. Markus Schächter – Presented By Henry Kissinger
2009 -
Director General, ZDF
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Liu Changle – Presented By Elaine Chao
2008 -
Chairman & CEO, Phoenix Satellite Television
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Patrick Le Lay – Presented By Carole Bouquet
2007 -
Chairman, TF1 Group, France
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Ronald S. Lauder – Presented By Richard Parsons
2006 -
Founder and Chairman, Central European Media Enterprises (CME)
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Charles Allen – Presented By Helen Mirren
2005 -
Chief Executive, ITV
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Herbert Kloiber
2004 -
Managing Director, Tele-München Group
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Greg Dyke
2003 -
Director General, BBC, UK
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Katsuji Ebisawa
2002 -
President, NHK Japan
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Gustavo Cisneros
2001 -
Chairman, Organizacion Cisneros
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Su-Ming Cheng
2000 -
CEO China-TV, Taiwan
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Ralph Baruch
1999 -
Founder, Viacom
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Sam Nilsson
1998 -
President, Sveriges Television, Sweden
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Dieter Stolte
1997 -
Intendant, ZDF
Germany
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Hebert A. Granath
1996 -
Chairman, ABC/Disney Cable International
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John Birt
1995 -
Director General, BBC, UK
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Dr. Helmut Thoma
1994 -
Managing Director, RTL
Germany
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Andre Rousselet
1993 -
Chairman, Canal Plus
France
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Silvio Berlusconi
1992 -
President, Fininvest Gruppo
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Henry Becton
1991 -
President, WGBH
Boston
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Henrikas Yushkiavitshus
1990 -
Assistant Director-General
UNESCO
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R.E. “Ted” Turner
1989 -
President, Turner Broadcasting System (Citation) Murray Chercover
Canada
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Vittorio Boni
1988 -
Director, International Relations, RAI
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Jeremy Isaacs
1987 -
Channel 4 Television
UK
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Herbert Schmertz
1986 -
Public Affairs, Mobil Oil Company
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Leonard H. Goldenson
1985 -
American Broadcasting Companies
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Lord Sydney Bernstein
1984 -
Founder, Granada Television
UK
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Dr. Roberto Marinho
1983 -
TV Globo Network of Brazil
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Akio Morita
1982 -
Sony Corporation
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Sir Huw Wheldon
1981 -
Retired (1976) Managing Director of BBC-TV
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Lord Grade of Elstree
1980 -
Chairman of the Board, Associated Communications Corp., UK
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Dr. Frank Stanton
1979 -
CBS, Incorporated 1978 Prix Italia
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Alphonse Quimet
1977 -
Telesat, Canadian TV
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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
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Junzo Imamichi
1975 -
Tokyo Broadcasting System
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Dr. Joseph Charyk
1974 -
Communications Satellite Corporation
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Charles Curran
1973 -
European Broadcasting Union, Director General, BBC
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