The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 — just one month after network television was born. It is a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunication arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunication industry.

The Television Academy, the only major organization devoted to the television and broadband screen entertainment industry, is made up of over 20,000 members, representing 29 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors and various other artisans, technicians and executives.

The Television Academy recognizes excellence through its many annual award programs:

• The Emmy Awards, telecast prior to the fall television premiere season, is the flagship event for which the Television Academy is best known.
• The Creative Arts Emmy Awards, usually held a week before the Primetime event, presents Emmys in dozens of technical, creative and craft categories.
• The Engineering Emmy Awards acknowledge accomplishments in the advancement of television technology.
• Inductees into the Television Academy Hall of Fame are a distinguished group of innovators and icons who have made a lasting impact on television through their work.
• The Television Academy Honors recognizes television programming that creates awareness, enlightens, educates and/or positively motivates audiences.

 
Sister organizations, the National Academy and International Academy, also award Emmy statuettes for accomplishment among their members.