The International Academy of Television, Arts, & Sciences will be honoring the TGIT queen of primetime television, Shonda Rhimes with the International Emmy Founders Award.
The Founders Award is given to those who make a significant global impact in television and its production quality. Some of the other winners over the years have been Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and J.J. Abrams. Rhimes is the second Black woman to win the award in its existence.
President-CEO of the International Academy, Bruce Paisner said, Shonda Rhimes is in a league of her own — not only does she have an entire night of primetime on ABC in the United States, but her groundbreaking shows and iconic characters are avidly followed by over 300 million viewers worldwide, in 67 languages.”
When asked about her feelings on receiving the award Shonda said, “I am continually amazed by the global reach of television and have been so fortunate to have fans of my shows around the world.”
Shonda Rhimes is a trailblazer for Black women in the television industry and deserves every accolade given to her for the powerhouse empire that she’s developed over at ABC. With new shows in development and even some of her protege’s becoming show runners as well, her presence will be felt in the business for years to come.
The 44th annual International Emmy Awards will be held in New York City on November 21st.
What do you think about Shonda Rhimes receiving the International Emmy Founders Award? Let us know in the comments.
