When I began my tenure as chair last year, I vowed to grow the relevance of the Television Academy, establishing our organization as a crucial body that supports the creative work of our members and harnesses the public's love for what we create.
That's why I'm thrilled about Televerse, the Academy's first-ever festival that has been years in the making. The response has been tremendous, with nearly 1,000 immediate pre-registrations in the first week after its unveiling and overwhelming interest from studios in participating. Taking place exactly at the midpoint between the announcement of the Emmy nominations and the awards ceremonies, Televerse is a prominent way for us to show that the Academy's work and our celebration of television extend far beyond a single night.
Our vision for Televerse is to amplify our membership — people making TV at the highest levels of excellence, both above and below the line — and bring their work to the widest audience possible. There is so much amazing content being made, and Televerse will proudly give our partners a showcase to reach all the viewers they deserve to have. As the Academy, we are uniquely and ideally equipped to bridge insider access and fan engagement for a one-of-a-kind live event that brings industry and aficionados together over their shared devotion to the medium.
Our identity as the Academy is synonymous with the best of what television has to offer, but we also represent the broadest coalition of all the different types of professionals comprising this industry. As such, the inaugural Televerse this August will feature official FYC panels for our Emmy voters as well as other programming that continues our focus on member development, particularly when it comes to education on business and technological innovations in our field.
Over time, the ambition is for Televerse to be recognized as the preeminent in-person event for TV, a real draw for Los Angeles and a highlight on the calendar for industry veterans, up-and-coming professionals and die-hard fans alike. The festival is in line with all the other work we have been doing — diversifying the Emmys ceremony, advocating on issues ranging from tax breaks to AI, holding town halls — that serves to plant a flag for the Academy as a real authority in the eyes of both the industry and the public. Boosting our relevance with the latter will in turn reinforce their excitement with the work we've poured our blood, sweat and tears into, and ensure that television continues to be the most influential medium in our culture for years to come.
This chair letter originally appeared in emmy magazine, issue #5, 2025.
