What is an Emmy?
An Emmy is an award for excellence in television. The best-known are the Primetime Emmy Awards, held in Los Angeles each year since 1949.
The Emmys are presented by three related organizations. The Television Academy runs the Primetime Emmys for entertainment shows, while other ceremonies honor daytime TV, news and documentaries, sports and international programs.
The name comes from immy, a nickname for the image orthicon tube used in early TV cameras. The statuette, a winged woman holding an atom, represents art and science together.
Records
Saturday Night Live has won more Primetime Emmys than any other show. Game of Thrones holds the record for a drama series, with 59 wins.
Like the Oscars, Emmy winners are chosen by members of the industry. Each category is voted on by members who work in that field, such as actors for acting awards and writers for writing awards. The Primetime Emmys are usually held in September, while the Daytime Emmys honor soap operas, talk shows and game shows. A separate International Emmy Awards ceremony in New York honors programs made outside the United States.
Did You Know?
The Emmy is one of the four awards in the EGOT, along with the Grammy, the Oscar and the Tony.