The Academy Awards, (also known as the The Oscar), are a yearly film awards ceremony by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The awards are one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world, and are televised live in more than 200 countries annually. It is also the oldest award ceremony in the media; its equivalents, the Grammy Awards (for music), Emmy Awards (for television), and Tony Awards (for theatre) are modeled after the Academy. Out of date or wrong? Let us know and we wil fix it!