Television Academy Establishes New Legacy Award for Shows with a ‘Profound and Lasting Impact’

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Television Academy is introducing a new honorary Emmy known as the Legacy Award.

According to the awards body, the new Legacy Award will be presented to television programs that have made a “profound and lasting impact” on audiences and remain relevant to society, culture and the industry. 

The new award comes with small changes within the Television Academy Board of Governors as well. Its Governors Award committee will soon be known as the Special Awards Committee, and that group will be the one to determine candidates for the Legacy Award, and then present them to the Board of Governors for a vote. Entries may be made by members of the Board of Governors, the Special Awards Committee or individuals who may suggest recipients in a letter to the Television Academy.

The Television Academy has already established a strict criteria for which TV shows will be considered below, with the highlights being:

• A minimum of 60 episodes aired across a minimum of five seasons.
• Continued or sustained relevance, influence or inspiration:
  • To a genre of television.
  • To an existing or new audience.
  • To society and culture.
• Franchise properties must be considered as a whole and awarded as such.
• Award may only be bestowed on a program once.

The last time the Academy introduced an award of similar significance was the Television Academy Honors Award in 2007, which recognizes programming that drives positive social change. As with the Governors Award, engraved Emmy statuettes will be bestowed upon the recipients of the new Legacy Award.

“The Legacy Award celebrates groundbreaking programming — programs that have stood the test of time delivering stories that continue to engage audiences and featuring iconic and timeless characters with multigenerational appeal,” said Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego via statement. “The award allows the Academy to honor more of television’s rich history and acknowledge the storytellers whose work has resonated with viewers and continues to entertain legions of fans around the globe.”

The Television Academy is still determining whether the new award will be presented at the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies, the Primetime Emmys telecast, the Televerse festival, or the TV Academy Hall of Fame event.