LOS ANGELES—The Television Academy has announced the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the recipient of the 2025 Governors Award, recognizing the organization’s more than five decades of service in enriching America’s media landscape through funding and support for educational, cultural and public-interest programming.

The honor is a bitter-sweet one. The CPB, which lost its Federal funding this summer, is on the verge of being shut down, with most staff being laid off and operations ending on Sept. 30.

“The Governors Award recognizes and celebrates extraordinary contributions that transcend television and transform society,” said Television Academy chair Cris Abrego. “For more than half a century, CPB has been a steadfast champion of storytelling that informs, educates and unites us and ensures public media remains a vital space where diverse voices are heard and communities are served. With this award, we honor CPB’s enduring legacy and its extraordinary impact on the cultural and civic life of our nation.”

The Emmy statuette will be presented to Patricia de Stacy Harrison, the longest-serving president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Under Harrison’s leadership since 2005, CPB has guided public media through digital transformations to help stations adopt new technologies and leverage multimedia platforms to ensure high-quality content reached audiences across television, radio and online, the Academy reported. In 2011, CPB launched the longest-running public media initiative to successfully address the national high school dropout crisis, transforming educational access and graduation rates across the country.

The award will be presented during the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 7.

The Governors Award is bestowed by the Television Academy’s Board of Governors and honors an individual, company or organization that has made a profound, transformational and long-lasting contribution to the arts and/or science of television.

Established in 1967 by the Public Broadcasting Act, CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress to serve as the steward of the federal investment in public broadcasting and support more than 1,500 locally owned and operated public radio and television stations across the United States. CPB has supported independent filmmakers and innovations in storytelling, creating a cultural legacy for all Americans with iconic and Emmy-winning series, such as Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, The MacNeil/Lehrer Report and PBS NewsHour, NOVA, Finding Your Roots, Reading Rainbow, Molly of Denali, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, FRONTLINE, and Independent Lens.

Public media has a long and distinguished history of outstanding journalists, storytellers and documentary filmmakers who raised the bar for excellence, including Robert MacNeil, Jim Lehrer, Gwen Ifill, Judy Woodruff, William F. Buckley, Diane Rehm, Terry Gross, Ira Glass, Bill Moyers, Ken Burns, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Stanley Nelson Jr. the Television Academy noted.

Since its establishment, CPB has built public media into a nationwide service, funding programs for all ages that educate, enlighten and entertain; supporting local and national newsrooms that provide fact-based information; and funding a technological infrastructure for content distribution and emergency alerts.

Today, public media connects the country, serving 99% of the U.S. population free of charge and commercial free, over the air and online in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and Native communities in American Samoa, and rural and urban areas. It is often the only media available to residents of remote areas, the Academy said.

CPB supported public media’s pioneering work in closed captioning, descriptive video services and radio technology for live-captioned and Braille radio programs to be more accessible to persons with disabilities.

In July, Congress voted to eliminate all funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, marking the end of nearly six decades of federal investment in America’s public media system.

Over the last 20 years, CPB’s funding has enabled stations to embrace new technologies and expand public media’s reach to new audiences. Through trusted content that amplifies public media’s uniquely American story across voices from all walks of life, CPB has consistently met the ever-changing needs of the communities that local public radio and television stations serve. “This is our legacy,” said Harrison. “CPB will serve as the foundation for the future of America’s public media.”

Previous recipients of the Governors Award, which was first presented in 1978, include LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization GLAAD, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Debbie Allen, Greg Berlanti, Tyler Perry, Star Trek, American Idol, William S. Paley, Hallmark Cards Inc., Masterpiece Theatre, Comic Relief and PBS.

The 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be held over two consecutive nights, Saturday, Sept. 6, and Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE, helmed by executive producer Bob Bain and Bob Bain Productions. An edited presentation of the ceremonies will air Saturday, Sept. 13, at 8:00 PM PDT on FXX. Available to stream on Hulu through Oct. 7.

The 77th Emmy Awards will telecast live from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, (8:00-11:00 PM EDT/5:00-8:00 PM PDT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

The Television Academy has announced the recipients of the 76th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards honoring an individual, company or organization for developments in broadcast technology. 

The awards ceremony, hosted by Criminal Minds star Kirsten Vangsness, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at the Television Academy's Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, California.

"The Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards are a testament to the incredible ingenuity and creativity that power our industry," said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. "We are thrilled to honor these innovators who have pushed the boundaries of what's possible, shaping the future of television for generations to come."

"This year we honor a diverse group of technologies that enable and advance the storytelling process for television production," said committee co-chairs Barry Zegel and Wendy Aylsworth. "Electro/Mechanical Camera Stabilization systems, software programs that aid the editing and creation process, support for LED Volumes production, the MDDF (MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework) Standard, and the use of generative artificial intelligence tools are all included in this year's awards. This wide range of technologies demonstrates the amazing achievements throughout our industry."

This year, the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors a living individual whose ongoing contributions have significantly affected the state of television technology and engineering, is being given to Jensen Huang. Jensen Huang founded NVIDIA in 1993 and has served since its inception as president, chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors.

Since its founding, NVIDIA has pioneered accelerated computing. The company's invention of the GPU (graphics processing unit) in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined computer graphics and ignited the era of modern AI. NVIDIA is now driving the platform shift of accelerated computing and generative AI, transforming the world's largest industries and profoundly impacting society.

Huang has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering and is a recipient of the Semiconductor Industry Association's highest honor, the Robert N. Noyce Award; the IEEE Founder's Medal; the Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award; and honorary doctorate degrees from Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University, National Taiwan University and Oregon State University. He has been named the world's best CEO by Fortune, the Economist and Brand Finance and one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people.

Prior to founding NVIDIA, Huang worked at LSI Logic and Advanced Micro Devices. He holds a BSEE degree from Oregon State University and an MSEE degree from Stanford University.

The Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award, which honors an agency, company or institution whose contributions over time have significantly impacted television technology and engineering, is being given to Adobe Inc.

For over 40 years, Adobe has been a leader in delivering groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to express themselves and bring their stories to life, the Academy said. From students to creative professionals, and from small businesses to the world's largest enterprises, Adobe's customers use Adobe tools to unleash their creativity, accelerate document productivity and power digital businesses — including Adobe Acrobat; Creative Cloud tools such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects and Adobe Express; Substance 3D collection; collaboration tools like Frame.io; and Experience Cloud enterprise solutions, such as Adobe GenStudio.

Adobe's tools have powered a record number of award-winning television shows and movies including 2024 Emmy-nominated projects, such as Saturday Night Live, FX's The Bear and HBO's Ramy Youssef: More Feelings and The Jinx — Part Two as well as noteworthy films and docuseries including Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, Dìdi (弟弟) and Penelope.

The Academy said that the Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards are presented to an individual, company or organization for developments in engineering, science and technology that are either so extensive an improvement on existing methods or so innovative in nature that they materially affect the production, recording, transmission or reception of television and thereby have elevated the storytelling process. 

The Academy described this year's recipients as follows:  

Recipient: Adobe Inc. for the development of the Adobe Substance Painter. Substance Painter is a non-destructive 3D texture painting application. Initially built for game developers, Substance Painter has seen very quick adoption in visual effects and animation within the television industry despite its relatively young age. Substance Painter's unique approach of procedural-driven materials differs from previous metaphors for texture generation: It leverages algorithmic methods vs. manual painting and cloning. This has enabled fast and creative texture creation by a broader spectrum of artists without requiring traditional art and painting skill sets. This new workflow has helped increase creativity and accelerate asset generation via quicker iterations in visual effects. As a result, Substance 3D Painter is leading the industry in texture painting, allowing the ability to texture a model in real-time. From animation to visual effects studios, the industry uses Painter to bring their creations to life.

Recipients: Tom Ohanian, Ken Goekjian, Joel Swan and Victor Young for the development of the Avid Multicamera System. Introduced in 1994, the Avid Multicamera System has stood the test of time. With its worldwide usage, it continues to be a dominant technology and product offering in the industry. The Multicamera System replaced systems that utilized videotape and laserdisc players. This digital multicamera invention improved upon all the previous limitations: It provided nonlinear, digital, random access to material with multiple tracks of audio. Due to the invention's functionality of auto-synchronization, the time-consuming synchronization of different camera angles was automated. Editing could proceed directly from camera iso (isolated) feeds as well as a line cut (directly from the video switcher), if necessary due to time constraints. These items significantly advanced the art of storytelling, proving why creative people utilize Avid's Multicamera System to make today's most celebrated video and audio content.

Recipients: Paul Pan, Yanchong Zhao, Tie Su, Shimeng Bei for the development of the DJI Ronin Series. The DJI Ronin is a line of professional camera stabilization systems designed for filmmakers and videographers to stabilize cameras, enabling camera operators to capture smooth, steady footage. The Ronin uses a three-axis gimbal system to stabilize pan, tilt and roll, keeping the camera level and steady, often eliminating the need to lay dolly track or set up a Technocrane. The Ronin's modular design allows for easy setup and adjustment and can be adapted for a variety of shooting scenarios and camera setups. Ronin's payload capacity supports a variety of camera and lens combinations from small mirrorless cameras to larger cinema cameras. Ronin gimbals offer a variety of operation modes, such as Pan Follow, Lock Mode and POV (Point of View) Mode; and they are compatible with a range of accessories, such as wireless focus systems, monitors and other filmmaking tools.

Recipients: Stuart Geman, Kevin Manbeck, John Mertus, and Michael Braca for the development of the DRSNova Film and Video Restoration Software. DRSNova film and video restoration software boasts a comprehensive suite of features tailored to meet the diverse needs of modern filmmakers and post-production experts. From its inception, this innovative software has been at the forefront of advancements in digital restoration and film-processing technology, continuously evolving to keep pace with the ever-changing demands of the industry. It seamlessly integrates into the workflows of film labs, post-production houses, and archival facilities, providing robust solutions for a wide array of restoration tasks. Whether it's restoring aging film stock, enhancing visual quality, or preparing content for television broadcast and streaming, or Blu-ray distribution, DRS™Nova excels in delivering exceptional results with unmatched efficiency. By empowering professionals to achieve their creative vision while maintaining the integrity of the original content, DRS™Nova has played a pivotal role in preserving cinematic heritage and elevating the quality of visual storytelling across various platforms.

Recipient: Benjamin Graf for the development of Accentize's dxRevive Pro. dxRevive Pro is a sophisticated speech-restoration plugin engineered to enhance the fidelity of dialogue recordings across a range of scenarios. Unlike other restoration-style software, dxRevive Pro doesn't just filter the signal, it also identifies and reintegrates missing frequency components. As a result, users can produce studio-like recordings (where the audio is not only "cleaned" but the dialogue itself is enhanced) from a diverse array of source materials. Previously, achieving such clarity required painstaking effort and might not have been achievable at all, resulting in the need for ADR sessions and the additional cost and time those incur. By swiftly and effectively improving dialogue quality, dxRevive Pro elevates the overall audio experience for viewers, ensuring that they can be fully immersed in the story without distraction or discomfort. In essence, dxRevive Pro not only mitigates the impact of budget constraints on dialogue quality but also enhances the storytelling process by providing a more comfortable listening experience, ultimately enriching the narrative and its emotional impact.

Recipients: Jeremy Hochman, Chris Byrne, Colin Cook and Justin Nicolaides for the development of Megapixel's HELIOS LED Processing Platform. The HELIOS platform is an advanced video processing system for LED walls. For over 20 years, the platform has revolutionized LED displays, making them reliable and repeatable tools for filmmakers. HELIOS' advancement of LED processing has removed the restrictions of greenscreen production, enabling storytellers to have full creativity — live in camera. HELIOS supports video sources up to 8K resolution and is capable of handling up to four simultaneous SMPTE ST 2110 inputs. This makes it ideal for large-scale displays and complex visual applications that require high-resolution and precise synchronization. HELIOS' innovative GhostFrame technology allows multiple unique video feeds to be displayed on LED panels simultaneously, streamlining virtual production workflows by enabling the recording of multiple backgrounds from a single take. Its advanced color-management system ensures accurate color fidelity, consistently preserving and applying metadata from source to final display. With full HDR support and seamless integration with image-based lighting systems, HELIOS delivers stunning visuals.

Recipients: Craig Seidel for the development of the MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework. The MovieLabs Digital Distribution Framework (MDDF) was born from the evolution from physical to digital distribution. Starting in mid-2008, MDDF was originally conceived to support online sales of downloadable content, but it rapidly evolved into a comprehensive collection of essential data standards that drove online streaming. Prior practice was for content owners to provide distribution services an assortment of spreadsheets, emails and other unstructured data. When volumes were small these manual methods could work; but as distribution services evolved to handle tens or hundreds of thousands of titles (millions of assets), those practices were no longer feasible. MDDF provides the solution. MDDF is a suite of digital distribution specifications that define avails (licensing); metadata; asset ordering, delivery and status; bonus/extras; workflows; and APIs. MDDF was designed to get movies and television in front of home viewers in the form most suitable for their needs. It allows a breadth of content to be prepared and delivered by digital service providers to viewers with rich metadata that supports discovery allowing viewers to select the most interesting content. MDDF supports full localization, both in metadata and in handling the complexity of localized and accessibility-focused assets and supports everything from the most primitive formats to the most advanced. MDDF allows people to enjoy content in a way that preserves the creative intent and matches the needs of the individual.

Recipient: The Tiffen Company for the development of the Steadicam Volt. The Steadicam Volt system is an accessory to the already ubiquitous Steadicam that utilizes electronic stabilization technology to assist camera operators in achieving and maintaining smooth, consistent and level camera shots. When mounted on a Steadicam or other brand of camera stabilizer, the Volt will help to maintain a level or preset horizon and filter out unwanted camera movements without affecting normal Steadicam operation or control. Steadicam Volt™ consists of two main components: A "brain" that is mounted fixed in relation to the camera, which houses all gyro and accelerometer motion-sensing components and a gimbal-mounted "motor drive" unit to apply corrections to the tilt-and-roll axis of the camera stabilizer. With the camera stabilizer sled neutrally balanced, the Volt requires very little battery power to manipulate even the heaviest of camera payloads. Difficult shots that involve high-acceleration camera movement — such as running or fast lateral movements — are now easier to obtain smoothly. Operators do not need to focus as much on inertial influences or external forces, such as wind and how they affect camera positioning. The Steadicam Volt™ enables a camera operator to better focus, react and interact with dynamically changing or challenging shooting environments to produce better framing of shots. 

The Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards are made possible by Television Academy sponsors FIJI Water, Franciacorta, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, People, The Ritz-Carlton and United Airlines.

Broadcast executive Thomas Sarnoff passed away on June 4, 2023 in Woodland Hills, Calif., at the age of 96. The Television Academy issued the following obituary:

Thomas W. Sarnoff was the scion of a fabled American media family, whose six-decade career left an indelible mark on the NBC Network (now part of NBCUniversal), impacted iconic TV brands and created touring spectaculars while guiding the television industry's premier professional associations.

The youngest son of radio and television pioneer and RCA/NBC media mogul David Sarnoff was born Feb. 23, 1927, in New York City. According to family lore, he was television's "first live star" as a test subject for the RCA/NBC World's Fair demonstration of television in the 1930s.

From 1965-1977 Sarnoff was staff executive vice president, West Coast, and president of NBC Entertainment Corporation, reporting to the president of NBC. During that tenure he negotiated contracts for NBC's famed Burbank facility and production deals with world-renowned NBC talents such as Bob Hope as well as the historic deals with Colonel Tom Parker for Elvis Presley's iconic television specials. He was also responsible for the production and worldwide touring of live, all-family arena shows including Peter Pan and Disney on Parade, the latter in partnership with (then) Walt Disney Productions. "The highlight of my career at NBC," said Sarnoff, "was building a close-knit and very efficient organization on the West Coast that served NBC very well for many years."

Following his career with NBC, Sarnoff created Sarnoff International Enterprises Inc., producing the Yabba Dabba Doo live-arena tour featuring Hanna-Barbera characters. His Sarnoff Entertainment Corporation revived the popular clay-animated character Gumby in association with creator Art Clokey and produced a 1987 half-hour series. He also served as executive producer of three Bonanza television movies and a retrospective.

Sarnoff rose through NBC's executive ranks when he joined the network in 1952 after paying his dues with a stint at ABC (1949-1951) as television took off post-World War II. He also worked at MGM learning film techniques that he would later apply to his work in television and his oversight of film productions for NBC Productions and California National Productions.

Renowned for his participation and active leadership in the television industry and in community affairs, Sarnoff most notably was a champion and leader of both the Television Academy and Television Academy Foundation for five decades. From 1973-1974 he served as chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (before the organization's 1977 split into the Los Angeles-based Television Academy, which oversees the primetime Emmy Awards, and the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which oversees Daytime, News and Sports Emmys). He served on the Television Academy's executive committee for the board of governors and in the 1990s took on the chairmanship of the Television Academy Foundation, for which he was named chair emeritus in perpetuity. Sarnoff also chaired the Television Academy's council of former chairs for a number of years.

Sarnoff is one of the founders of the Foundation's The Interviews: An Oral History of Television initiative, formerly known as the Archive of American Television when it was conceived and greenlit in 1995 during his tenure as Foundation chairman. He continued to be a huge advocate for the entertainment industry's largest oral history program and served on The Interviews committee until his passing. The archive was recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2022 as part of its "A More Perfect Union" initiative to honor the role of the humanities in U.S. history and invest in its preservation. The archive is currently being preserved at the USC Digital Repository. Sarnoff was interviewed by Morrie Gelman in 1999 for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television. Watch his interview here.

In 1997 Sarnoff received the Syd Cassyd Founder's Award from the Television Academy, an award honoring a very select few Television Academy members who have made a significant, positive impact on the Academy through their service over many years of involvement.

In addition, Sarnoff served on the boards of the American Film Institute, Hope Enterprises and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. He was a member of the national board of trustees of the National Conference of Christians and Jews (now known as the National Conference for Community and Justice) as well as its regional board of directors and was honored by the NCCJ's broadcast motion picture recording division with its Humanitarian Award. He also took on the roles of president of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, president of the Research Foundation at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, advisory council member of the radio-TV department of the University of Judaism, and served on the California Commission for the Reform of Intermediate and Secondary Education.

Sarnoff attended Princeton University, prior to his World War II service as a combat engineer and as a signal corps instructor at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. Post-war he transferred to Stanford University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1948 and attended the university's Graduate School of Business Administration. Later in life Sarnoff was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Columbia College.

Sarnoff had a distinguished career; but his children, grandchildren and friends will remember him best for his sense of humor, his deep personal connections and loyalty to his friends, and for his boundless love of his family.

NOHO ARTS DISTRICT, Calif.—The Television Academy is putting new emphasis on its mission to embrace the “sciences” of television with the announcement that it will create a new Science and Technology Peer Group as part of its membership structure. 

The new group will start on January 1, 2022, with election of peer group Governors to take place by December 2021.

In addition to its existing membership structure, the new peer group provides a membership base for the engineers, scientists and technologists who create the systems and devices that enable or advance the storytelling and transmission capabilities of television, the organization said. 

This may include advancements in software and equipment for visual and audio clarity, distribution methodology and approach, and/or engagement and participation of the viewer with the television program itself.  

“Creating a peer group for the extraordinary professionals who turn imagination and inspiration into efficient, effective and simply dazzling television technologies is long overdue,” said Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy. “Our Engineering Emmy Awards have recognized their accomplishments for decades, but Science and Technology Peer Group members will now have a voice in our governance and an opportunity to play a dynamic role in the future of our Academy by helping set policy and collaborating with other Academy members eager to learn and embrace new technologies in storytelling.”

”In 1949, at the first Emmy ceremony, the Academy recognized not only the arts but also the sciences of television with its special award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development,” commented Barry Zegel and Wendy Aylsworth, founders and co-chairs of the nascent membership group. “Recent production technologies—including virtual production, cloud collaboration and immersive audio—further this honored tradition and prompt the timely formation of this new peer group. We are excited to have this opportunity for the TV industry’s technologists to contribute to the Academy at a higher level, and we look forward to launching more programs like this year’s well-received ‘Tech Tools & Tips’ seminars to benefit all of the Academy’s peer groups.”

For decades the Academy has awarded Emmys for engineering excellence and in June 2019 the Academy approved the addition of a Science and Technology subgroup to the Lighting, Camera and Technical Arts Peer Group. The subgroup, which includes many Engineering Emmy Award winners and honorees of the past three decades, reached the prerequisite number of members necessary to establish their own peer group earlier this year, the organization explained. 

Subsequently, the Academy’s Membership Committee and its Board of Governors recently voted to approve moving the subgroup to full peer group status.

A full description of the qualifications required to join the peer group and information on how to file a petition to run for the two open governors seats for the peer group is available at TelevisionAcademy.com/members/how-to-join.

LOS ANGELES—The Television Academy is taking steps to evaluate its diversity, equity and inclusion practices, announcing it will partner with consulting firm ReadySet for reviewing and developing the organizations action plans when it comes to DEI.

Among the first steps that the TV Academy will take with ReadySet is sending out surveys to membership, leadership and staff to assess the organization’s composition, attitudes and perceptions regarding DEI, opportunities for improvement and expansion of current practices.

"We recognize the power of television to tell our stories, shape our conversations and influence the way that we see the world,” said Frank Scherma, TV Academy chairman. “For this reason, it's important that our industry reflect the world at large on- and off-screen. Now, more than ever, we believe we must increase visibility, equity and power for those marginalized and underrepresented in our industry. For the Academy, that work starts with our membership, leadership and staff."

PLUS: Broadcasters' Efforts to Increase DEI Are Steps Toward Future Success

An internal evaluation of the TV Academy so as to enact internal changes was initially mandated by TV Academy’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors, according to the press release.

Other media/entertainment organizations have recently come under fire for their lack of DEI practices. Most notably, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (which run the Golden Globes) and the discovery that it had no Black members.

The TV Academy said that its internal review will take place over the next few months, and that it will provide updates through communication and on its website over the course of the year. 

LOS ANGELES—There will be no red carpet for the 2020 Creative Arts Emmys, as the Television Academy has announced that the annual awards ceremony will be hosted as a virtual event over several nights in September because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Creative Arts Emmys recognize the artists and craftspeople in television across all genres. The specific format that the virtual ceremony will have is currently in development.

The annual Governors Ball events, meanwhile, have been cancelled altogether. 

Though it is unclear in what capacity, both Television Academy Chairman and CEO Frank Scherma and ABC Television Network plan for the 72nd Emmy Awards to be telecast on Sept. 20 as originally planned for a “show that honors television’s unparalleled role throughout 2020 in bringing people together during a worldwide pandemic as well as acknowledge and support the unprecedented national and global demand for social justice and equality,” the announcement said.

Previously, the Television Academy had postponed its Tech & Engineering Emmys from the 2020 NAB Show in Las Vegas to the 2020 NAB Show New York. However, now that physical NAB Show New York has been cancelled, there was no update on what the plan is for the Tech & Engineering Emmys.

In addition to news about the its award ceremonies, the Television Academy has also announced it has made a $1 million donation to The Actors’ Fund COVID-19 Relief Fund, which supports those in the entertainment industry who have been impacted by the virus with financial assistance.

“As the industry reemerges, we will continue to support our more than 24,000 members and our community through this donation and our Academy’s programs and resources,” said Scherma.

NOHO ARTS DISTRICT, Calif.—The Emmys are not immune to coronavirus, as the Television Academy has announced a number of changes to the 72nd Emmy Awards season’s calendar as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Following discussions with key industry partners, the Television Academy Board of Governors voted to update the Emmy Awards calendar to better accommodate ongoing changes and disruptions in production and programming schedules across all network, cable and streaming services,” the announcement read.

A number of TV shows had to suspend production in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The changes included a number of key date shifts:

•  June 5 - Entry Deadline 
•  July 2 - Nominations-round voting begins 
•  July 13 - Nominations-round voting ends 
•  July 28 - Nominations announced 
•  Aug. 21 - Final-round voting begins 
•  Aug. 31 - Final-round voting ends 

In addition to date changes, some rules have also been modified as far as extending the dates that make a show eligible , and all Television Academy For Your Consideration events—with a live audience, streaming or recorded—have been suspended for this Emmy season.

As of now, the TV Academy has no plans to cancel or delay the Emmy telecast on Sept. 20 or the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 12 and 13. The Academy will continue to monitor state and national mandates, as well as recommendations from the CDC and L.A. County Department of Public Health.

The full updated Emmy calendar is available online. 

LOS ANGELES—Following a 31-year career with Sony, Hugo Gaggioni, who currently serves as the company’s chief technology, is being recognized by the Television Academy with the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award at the 71st Engineering Emmy Awards.

The Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award honors a living individual whose ongoing contributions have significantly affected the state of television technology and engineering. In its announcement, the Emmys describe Gaggioni as an individual who “has achieved many scientific and technical accomplishments and is widely known for his unique ability to present and explain complex technical concepts to professionals and civilians alike.” Gaggioni has spent his career researching digital video image processing, information theory, audio/video bandwidth compression, HDTV devices and systems, digital filter banks and multidimensional signal processing.

Another special award to be presented is the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award, which this year will go to the American Society of Cinematographers. The Emmys praised the ASC as a society that has provided informed counsel on technological standards and advances for its entire existence.

Six additional Emmy Awards will be awarded during the ceremony:

• Boris FX Saphire is being recognized for its development of a suite of visual effects plug-ins that are used in documentaries, news, reality and scripted television and features.
• iZotope RX 7 is an audio repair company that created innovations in machine learning and advancements in noise reductions.
• FabFilter Pro-Q3 is a device that can be used on a professional mixing stage and processes the broad range of frequencies in the home stereo tuner’s treble and bass controls into 24 frequency bands of dynamic EQ.
• Silhouette is used to streamline tasks of rotoscoping, keying and matting with a portfolio of rotoscoping tools.
• Boris FX Mocha Pro helps manipulate existing pictorial content; insert new backgrounds and foregrounds; build set extensions; overly digital makeup; protect witness identities in news segments; blur and remove logos; stabilize and improve shaky handheld footage; and more.
• And JPEG will be recognized as it has universally been adopted to preserve high-quality imagery in television production and essential workflows.

The 71st Engineering Emmy Awards will be handed out at a ceremony on Oct. 23 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles. Kirsten Vangsness of Criminal Minds will host.

LOS ANGELES—The Emmys are re-upping with AEG and the L.A. Live campus in downtown Los Angeles, as AEG and the Television Academy have announced a multi-year extension. The deal will see the Emmys, as well as the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, continue to be held at the Microsoft Theater.

In addition to the Microsoft Theater, the TV Academy also will continue to use the L.A. Live space for complementary activities like the Governor’s Ball, the Media Center and affiliated receptions at the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Convention Center, the Event Deck at L.A. Live, the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Hotels, restaurants and hospitality sites. This year, the Governor’s Ball will take place at the L.A. Live Event Deck and the Media Center will be held at the JW Marriott hotel.

“We are thrilled to extend our agreement to make the L.A. Live campus and Microsoft Theater home of the Emmy Awards,” said Murray McIntyre, president of the TV Academy. “Having the ability to host so many of our members for multiple events at one site is what makes L.A. Live the perfect location to celebrate our industry.”

The 2019 Emmy Awards are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 22, and will air on Fox starting at 8 p.m. ET.

LOS ANGELES—The Television Academy last week said it would eliminate DVD screeners as part of its nominating and voting process for the 2020 Emmy Awards.

Rather than using DVDs, the Television Academy will make screenings of eligible programs available exclusively on digital platforms hosted by the production and distribution entities or on its on viewing platform. Doing so will save the TV industry tens of millions of dollars and eliminate waste, it said.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the Academy to take an important first step to move the industry forward in an area of great concern for both our partners and members, reducing costs and delivering a tremendous positive impact for the environment,” said Frank Scherma, chairman of the Television Academy.

“Television has an ever-expanding role as the world’s most innovative and popular entertainment medium, and this decision embraces the evolution of viewing practices and preferences of the Academy’s 25,000 members and the industry at large.”

The policy goes into effect after the 71st Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019.

More information is available on the Television Academy website.

LOS ANGELES—Television and film industry executive Frank Scherma has been elected to a two-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2019, as chairman and CEO of the Television Academy by its board of governors. Scherma will succeed Hayma Washington.

“As our industry continues to evolve faster than ever, I am committed to ensuring that the Television Academy is at the forefront of this growth,” said Scherma. “Television is more exciting than ever, and I look forward to the new adventures and challenges we will face. I’m excited and humbled to take up this mantle.”

Scherma, currently president of multidisciplinary studio RadicalMedia, is joined on the board by other incoming officers elected to two-year terms that begin Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2020, including Steve Venezia, vice chair; Tim Gibbons, second vice chair; Sharon Lieblein, secretary; Allison Binder, treasurer and Mitch Waldow, Los Angeles Area vice chair.

More information is available on the Television Academy website.