The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming. First awarded in 1949, they were originally referred to as just the "Emmy Awards" until the first Daytime Emmy Award ceremonies were held in the 1970s, and the word "primetime" was added to disambiguate between the two.

The Primetime Emmys generally air in mid-September, on the Sunday before the official start of the fall television season. They are currently seen in rotation among the four major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX). However, the 2006 Primetime Emmys (broadcast on NBC) aired a few weeks early, on Sunday, August 27, 2006, in order to accommodate NBC's coverage of Sunday Night NFL Football beginning in September.

Emmys are considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards (for film), Grammy Awards (for music) and Tony Awards (for stage).BBC Learning English | Emmy awardsEmmys For Dame Helen/The Sopranos - Reality TV | Photos | News | Galleries

Award categories

Current awards

Primetime Emmys are currently awarded in the following categories: