# International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IATAS) is an American nonprofit membership organization, based in New York City, composed of leading media and entertainment executives across all sectors of the television industry, from over fifty countries. Founded in 1969, the International Academy recognize excellence in television production produced outside the United States and it presents the International Emmy Awards in seventeen categories.
In addition to the International Emmys, the Academy's annual schedule includes the prestigious International Emmy Awards Current Affairs & News and the International Emmy Kids Awards, and a series of events such as International Academy Day, the International World Emmy Festival and Panels on substantive industry topics.
IATAS was co-founded by Ralph Baruch (1923–2016, President and Chief Executive of Viacom) and Ted Cott (1917–1973, NBC's General Manager), and was originally known as the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). Bruce Paisner is the current president and CEO of the Academy.

## History

Early in its history, the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was part of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; however, operating with its own board with a global focus. Founded in 1969, IATAS is an organization of leading media and entertainment figures from over 500 companies from 60 countries across all television sectors, including internet, mobile and technology. Its mission is to recognize the excellence of content produced exclusively for TV outside the United States, as well as non-English language primetime programming made for American TV. The awards are presented at the International Emmy Awards Gala, held each year in November at the Hilton Hotel and Resort in Midtown Manhattan, attracting over 1,200 television professionals annually.
The first International Emmy Awards, as we know them today, were carried out in 1973. As well as the Gala, the International Academy also produces the International Emmy World Television Festival. The Television Festival screens the current year's International Emmy-nominated programs and features producers and directors who speak about their work. In 1999, the Academy went on to recognize excellence in international news coverage with the Emmy Awards for Current Affairs & News. The International Emmy Kids Awards were launched in 2013 and is held annually in February in New York City.

## Categories

* Best Arts Programming
* Best Performance by an Actor
* Best Performance by an Actress
* Best Comedy
* Best Documentary
* Best Sports Documentary
* Best Drama Series
* Best Short-Form Series
* Best Non-English Language U.S. Primetime Program
* Best Non-Scripted Entertainment
* Best Telenovela
* Best TV Movie/Mini-Series
* Current Affairs
* News
* Kids: Animation
* Kids: Factual & Entertainment
* Kids: Live-Action
The Academy's Foundation also presents the annual Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award for young television writers. In 2013, J. J. Abrams was presented with an International Emmy Founders Award, and Anke Schäferkordt was presented with an International Emmy Directorate Award.

## Notable winners

Other notable winners include Sir David Frost and Steven Spielberg.