PRESIDENT’S report / 2022

The International Academy edged back to normal in 2022, as Covid rules were loosened in much of the world, and the disease itself abated. Major events during the year included the March Board & Members Meeting, held in Berlin, and the November Board Meeting & Gala which returned to the Hilton in New York City. We rounded out the year with a number of other member events, Zoom conferences, and International Emmy Judgings around the world.

In March, about 100 Academy members journeyed to Berlin, Germany for the March Board & Members Meeting and series of special events organized for us by Germany’s powerhouse broadcaster, ZDF. With Berlin only 11 hours from the fighting in Ukraine, ZDF was able to organize an in-depth look at the war, its causes, and likely outcomes, featuring panels of German based experts. The two-day event also celebrated the installation of Dr. Norbert Himmler, a longtime friend of the Academy, as the new Director General of ZDF, and finished with a trip to Sanssouci Palace, built by Frederick the Great outside of Berlin, and dinner in nearby Potsdam.

The September Board Meeting was held at The University Club in New York and featured a presentation by Neeraj Khemlani, the newly installed President and Co-Head of CBS News and the CBS Television Stations, and a friend and colleague of mine from his days at Hearst. Neeraj’s presentation was an outstanding look at the inner workings of a major network news division and his specific activities as its co-head.

By November we were ready to resume the Academy’s year-end activities, with the traditional in-person Festival, the November Board & Members Meeting, and the Gala. The Board Meeting featured an in-depth presentation by Parrot Analytics and an interview with our Founder’s Award recipient Ava DuVernay.

This year’s Gala succeeded in every way, with the presentation of International Emmys in 15 different categories, an attendance of about 900 people, and special awards to Ava DuVernay and Miky Lee. Throughout the weekend, and particularly at the Gala, we had a feeling of the worst of the pandemic being behind us, and the opportunities to build the Academy returning at full force.

This year’s Gala was the 50th one since the International Academy’s founding and was a chance to reflect on how much the Academy has grown and how much broader is its mission. Sometime next year, we expect to add our one-thousandth member and all our members will have access to a wide variety of activities and special events. A highlight of next year will be our signature Academy Day, to be held at the beginning of June in Istanbul, Turkey. This Academy Day in Istanbul, under the auspices of Turkish production company Ay Yapim will provide a unique and in-depth look at our industry throughout the Middle East and will once again be an opportunity for our members from all around the world to meet together and exchange ideas.

Our small and tight-knit staff continued to function well despite challenges imposed by the pandemic. Our Executive Director, Camille Bidermann Roizen and her colleagues performed outstanding work in difficult circumstances and by the end of the year the Academy was back in its offices and functioning at close to prepandemic levels.

Our Executive Committee provided counsel and guidance and stayed very steady with no turn-over in membership. My thanks for their wisdom and steadfastness go to Fred Cohen (Chairman), Bruce Tuchman (Secretary), Kevin Beggs (Treasurer), Piv Bernth, Adina Pitt, Armando Nuñez Jr, and Abbe Raven.

As a non-profit organization, the Academy relies in part on a small group of outside partners who contribute time, wisdom, and financial help. This year I am particularly indebted to Globo, the leading media company in Brazil, the Marinho family and to Amauri Soares, Globo TV Network Head. Despite the burdens of dealing with a pandemic and covering a major Presidential election in Brazil, Amauri found time to serve as the Chairman of this year’s Gala and did an excellent job. Other major partners include Ay Yapim and its CEO Kerem Çatay, and JCS International, a Ronald S. Lauder Company and its President Michal Grayevsky.

I want to close with a salute to my colleagues at Hearst, who have supported my work at the International Academy throughout my tenure. I particularly want to thank Steven R. Swartz, Hearst President & CEO, and Steve’s predecessor as CEO, Frank A. Bennack Jr., who is now Executive Vice Chairman of Hearst. Steve has been a friend of mine and the Academy’s for a long time and has always provided invaluable support and guidance. Frank hired me at Hearst many years ago and has been a source of inspiration ever since.

As the international television business has grown, the International Academy has grown too, with awards in more categories, many more members, and a broad agenda. In future years, I look forward to an even wider-ranging slate of events and more participation from countries around the world as the streaming revolution takes hold and the dynamics of our business change once again.