The Television Academy has awarded “American Idol” with the 2016 Governors Award in recognition of its impact on the medium.
“‘American Idol’ wasn’t just a hit show. With its successful integration of social media, dominance of the pop-culture conversation and legions of imitators, it changed television in a profound way,” Governors Award Selection Committee Chair Michael Levine said in a statement. “You could meaningfully divide the history of television into before ‘American Idol’ and after ‘American Idol.’”
The show — which was created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment — ran from June 11, 2002, to April 7, 2016, on Fox. In addition to receiving 59 Emmy nominations and eight Emmy Awards, “American Idol” served as the launching pad for stars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry and Phillip Phillips.
Past contestants have gone on to create more than 450 Billboard No. 1 hit songs; win 13 Grammys, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award; and sell more than 60 million albums — which have collectively become more than 80 platinum records and 95 gold records.
Past Governors Award recipients include William S. Paley, Hallmark Cards, Inc., “Masterpiece Theatre,” the “It Gets Better” Project, Comic Relief, A+E Networks and the ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC networks for “America: A Tribute To Heroes.” The award was created in 1978.