The Television Academy has announced the 2026 class of its Hall of Fame, tapping seven figures whose careers span journalism, comedy, documentary filmmaking, animation, and the executive suite.
The honorees are the late “60 Minutes” correspondent Ed Bradley, who will be inducted posthumously; actors Ted Danson and Jean Smart; documentary producer Sheila Nevins; “South Park” co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone; and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.
The group joins more than 150 individuals enshrined since the Hall of Fame’s launch in 1984, an honor reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences, or management of television over a career or through singular achievement. Past inductees include Lucille Ball, Edward R. Murrow, Carol Burnett, Oprah Winfrey, Betty White, and last year’s class of Viola Davis, Henry Winkler, Conan O’Brien, Don Mischer, Ryan Murphy, and Mike Post.
Bradley was among the first Black journalists to achieve national prominence in television. He spent nearly his entire 39-year career at CBS News, starting at WCBS radio in New York before serving as the network’s White House correspondent, anchoring the CBS Sunday Night News, and reporting for CBS Reports ahead of joining “60 Minutes” in 1981, where he remained until his death in 2006 at age 65 from complications of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He won 20 Emmys over his career, along with the George Foster Peabody Award, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, and the Overseas Press Club Award.
Danson is best known for playing Boston bartender Sam Malone on the NBC comedy “Cheers,” which ran 11 seasons and won three Emmys for Best Comedy Series. He more recently starred in Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside” and appeared as himself on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” through its final season, and earned acclaim for his role as Michael on NBC’s “The Good Place.” Beyond acting, Danson co-founded the American Oceans Campaign in 1987, which merged with Oceana in 2001.
Nevins, who served as president of HBO Documentary Films and later led MTV Documentary Films, produced more than 1,500 documentaries over three decades at HBO, including Spike Lee’s “Hurricane Katrina,” “For Neda,” “Baghdad ER,” and “To Die in Jerusalem.” Her work has earned 36 News and Documentary Emmys, 44 Peabody Awards, and 27 Academy Awards, and she holds 32 individual Primetime Emmys, more than anyone else in television history.
Parker and Stone co-created “South Park,” now preparing its 29th season after debuting on Comedy Central in 1997, with 18 Emmy nominations and five wins for Outstanding Animated Program. With songwriter Bobby Lopez, they also created the Broadway musical “The Book of Mormon,” which marks its 15th anniversary this year and ranks as the tenth longest-running production in Broadway history, having won nine Tony Awards including Best Musical.
Sarandos has overseen Netflix’s content operations since 2000 and became co-CEO in July 2020. He led the company’s pivot to original programming starting in 2013 with “House of Cards,” “Arrested Development,” and “Orange Is the New Black,” a slate that has since expanded to include “Stranger Things,” “The Crown,” and “Bridgerton.” He was named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list in both 2013 and 2025 and received a CBE from King Charles in 2024 for his contributions to the UK’s creative industries.
Smart currently stars in HBO Max’s “Hacks” and has won seven Emmy Awards across the comedy lead, supporting, and guest categories, putting her second only to Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for total acting wins. Her credits include “Mare of Easttown,” “Watchmen,” and “Fargo,” along with three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globes, and a Tony nomination.
“These visionary performers, creators, executives and storytellers have made a profound and enduring impact on the television industry,” said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. “Through their innovation, talent and dedication to their craft, they have helped transform and enrich the medium, influencing generations of audiences and professionals alike.”
This year’s selection committee was chaired by WME co-founder and head of television Rick Rosen, alongside 20th Television president Karey Burke, producer Marcy Carsey, Universal Studio Group chairman Pearlena Igbokwe, former Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Peter Roth, and former CBS Entertainment chairperson Nina Tassler.
“Their work has left a lasting impact on the industry, and the Television Academy is honored to celebrate their achievements and the legacy they continue to build,” Rosen said.
The induction ceremony will take place the evening of Thursday, Aug. 13, opening Televerse 26, the Television Academy’s flagship festival running through Aug. 16 at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live.