MUMBAI: The Producers Guild of America (PGA) will honour producer-director J J Abrams with the 2013 Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television, a statement from the PGA chairperson Michael De Luca said.
"J J Abrams has produced some of the most iconic and highest-rated television shows of the past decade and longer -- series that have changed the landscape of television," the statement read.
"His talent is astonishing, and through his commitment to ingenious storytelling, compelling characters and television programming of the highest quality, he truly lives up to this award‘s namesake," it added.
"It is an incredible honor to be asked to accept the Producers Guild Norman Lear Award, especially since Mr Lear is one of my true heroes," said Abrams. "I feel privileged to be included among the prestigious list of past recipients and look forward to celebrating the work of my fellow producers in January," the statement maintained.
Abrams is the founder and president of Bad Robot Productions, which he runs with his producing partner Bryan Burk. Formed in 2001, Bad Robot is partnered with Paramount and Warner Bros. and has produced films and television series such as Cloverfield, Star Trek, Morning Glory, Super 8, Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol, ABC‘s Alias and Lost, Fox‘s Fringe and CBS‘ Person of Interest. In 1998, he co-created his first television series, Felicity, with collaborator and longtime friend Matt Reeves.
Past recipients of the Norman Lear Award include Don Mischer in 2012, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Dick Wolf, Jerry Bruckheimer, John Wells, Lorne Michaels, Bud Yorkin, Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, David L. Wolper, Don Hewitt, Garry K. Marshall, Aaron Spelling, Steven Bochco, David E. Kelley, Mark Burnett and Norman Lear.
The award will be presented at the annual PGA Awards ceremony on 26 January.