The Primetime Emmy® Award is an American award bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming. It is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards (film), Grammy Awards (music), and Tony Awards (theatre). The awards generally air in mid-September, on the Sunday before the official start of the fall television season, and have been broadcast in rotation among major networks since 1995. The Primetime Emmy Awards encompass various categories, including the Primetime Emmy Awards for television performance, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards.