The Television Academy has introduced a new Legacy Award designed to recognise television shows with lasting cultural and industry impact. The award will honour series whose influence extends beyond their original run and continues to shape audiences and the television landscape.
The Legacy Award differs from the Television Academy Honours Award, last presented in 2007, which focuses on programmes that promote positive social change. Instead, the new category centres on longevity, cultural relevance, and sustained influence within the medium.
Eligibility requirements for the Legacy Award are deliberately strict. To qualify, a television series must have produced at least 60 episodes across a minimum of five seasons and may only receive the honour once, regardless of its continued run.
The award is expected to take the form of an engraved Emmy statuette. Its presentation may occur during the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Creative Arts Emmys, the Television Academy’s Televerse Festival, or the Hall of Fame ceremony, depending on the Academy’s annual decision.
The introduction of the Legacy Award comes ahead of the 78th Emmy Awards scheduled for September. It expands the Emmys’ recognition framework while offering both completed and ongoing series a chance to be honoured for their enduring impact.