Governors Award

The Board of Governors of the Television Academy may, when warranted, recognize an individual, company, or organization that has made a profound, transformational, and long-lasting contribution to the arts and/or science of television by presenting them with the Governors Award.

Recipients of the Governors Award:

2024 Greg Berlanti

2023 GLAAD

2022 Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media

2021 Debbie Allen

2020 Tyler Perry and The Perry Foundation

2019 (No award given)

2018 Star Trek

2017 ITVS

2016 American Idol

2015 A+E Networks

2014 Marion Dougherty

2013 June Foray

2012 It Gets Better Project (co-founders Dan Savage and Terry Miller)

2011 John Walsh

2010 Norman Brokaw Ad Council

2009 Sheila Nevins and her HBO documentary unit

2008 Planet Earth (National Geographic)

2007 American Idol Gives Back Addiction

2006 MTVu Campaign for Darfur

2005 Jerry Lewis

2004 Viacom, Inc, for its pro bono publico outreaches

2003 Lifetimes network's "Stop the Violence Against Women" initiative

2002 ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC for America: A Tribute to Heroes

2001 Showtime's diversity programming / CNN

2000 A&E's The Biography Project For Schools / The Teen Files / VH1 Save The Music Foundation

1999 MTV's "Fight For Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Violence" / History Channel's "Save Our History"

1998 National Geographic television / The Learning Channel's "Great Books" Literacy Project

1997 ABC's March Against Drugs Campaign / Comic Relief / Jac Venza

1996 USA's Erase the Hate Campaign / Turner's Native American Initiative

1995 PBS

1994 (No award given)

1993 (No award given)

1992 Ted Turner

1991 Masterpiece Theatre

1990 Leonard H. Goldenson

1989 Lucille Ball

1988 William Hanna & Joseph Barbera

1987 Grant Tinker

1986 Red Skelton

1985 Alistair Cooke

1984 Bob Hope

1983 Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver

1982 Hallmark Cards, Inc.

1981 Elton H. Rule

1980 Johnny Carson

1979 Walter Cronkite

1978 William S. Paley


updated 12.12.24

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