The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until 1958, they were awarded by the
Guild of Television Producers and Directors. From 1958 onwards, after the Guild had merged with the British Film Academy, the organisation was known as the Society of Film and Television Arts. In 1976, this became the
British Academy of Film and Television Arts. From 1968 until 1997, the BAFTA Film and Television awards were presented in one joint ceremony known simply as the BAFTA Awards, but in order to streamline the ceremonies from 1998 onwards they were split in two. The Television Awards are usually presented in April, with a separate ceremony for the
Television Craft Awards on a different date. The Craft Awards are presented for more technical areas of the industry, such as special effects, production design, or costumes. attending the British Academy Television Awards in 2007. The Awards are only open to British programmes—with the exception of the discontinued audience-voted
Audience Award and the International Award (this is for a single programme or series acquired from the international marketplace, covering all genres)—but any
cable,
satellite,
terrestrial or
digital television stations broadcasting in the UK are eligible to submit entries, as are independent production companies who have produced programming for the channels. Individual performances, such as from actors, can either be entered by the performers themselves or by the broadcasters. The programmes being entered must have been broadcast on or between January and December of the preceding year to be eligible for the year's awards. Entry is free, and entry forms are made available between November and January each year. After all the entries have been received, they are voted for
online by all eligible members of the Academy. The programmes and performances attracting the most votes, usually four in each category, are shortlisted as the nominees for each award. The winner is chosen from the four nominees by a special jury of nine academy members for each award, the members of each jury selected by the Academy's Television Committee. Each jury is designed to have a balance in areas such as sex, age and experience, and have experience related to the categories concerned but no direct connections to the short-listed programmes or performers. There are also a number of non-competitive honorary Awards—the
Dennis Potter Award for Outstanding Writing for Television; the
Alan Clarke Award for Outstanding Creative Contribution to Television; the
Richard Dimbleby Award for Outstanding Presenter in the Factual Arena; the
Fellowship for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to television across their careers, and various
Special Awards given on an
ad hoc basis. These Awards are suggested by the Television Committee and awarded by the Academy's Council. They are not necessarily always given every year, but as and when appropriate. The Awards ceremony is broadcast on British television, usually the day after it has taken place. Between 1998 and 2006, it was alternated between
ITV and
BBC One. But since 2007, it has been broadcast by
BBC One. They are the equivalent of the
Primetime Emmy Awards in the
United States.
"Baftagate" In 1991, a controversial selection was made in the Best Drama Serial category, when
Prime Suspect beat
G.B.H. to win the award. Following the ceremony, four of the seven voting members of the jury signed a public statement declaring that they had voted for
G.B.H. to win. ==Categories==