The Emmy Awards could leave traditional broadcast television for the first time in its history. The Television Academy holds advanced talks with Amazon Prime Video over a new licensing agreement.
According to Variety, the potential deal would end the long-running arrangement that has rotated the annual ceremony between ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. This system has lasted for more than three decades.
NBC and Peacock aired this year’s 78th Emmy Awards. This marked the final ceremony under the current eight-year “wheel deal” signed in 2018.
Under that agreement, the networks were reportedly paying slightly more than $8 million annually for broadcasting rights. Financial details of a potential Amazon deal have not been disclosed.
Emmys consider single-platform deal
The Television Academy has explored several options in recent months. These include continuing the network rotation with possible changes to participating broadcasters.
Another proposal involved simulcasting the ceremony across several networks and streaming platforms at the same time.
However, that option reportedly became difficult because of the complications involved in coordinating advertising sales across multiple outlets.
Television Academy chair Cris Abrego recently confirmed that discussions over the future of the ceremony remained ongoing.
“Conversations are continuing,” Abrego told Variety.
“When we get news, we’ll be more than happy to share.”
A multi-year agreement with one platform is reportedly attractive to the Academy. This is because it could give the broadcaster greater incentive to invest in producing and promoting the ceremony each year.
Under the current rotating system, a network that delivers a successful Emmy telecast effectively hands the following year’s ceremony to a competitor.
Streaming reshapes awards shows
A move to Prime Video would continue a broader shift of major awards ceremonies away from traditional television.
Prime Video previously acquired the Academy of Country Music Awards after the show left CBS in 2021. It became one of the first major awards ceremonies to move fully to streaming.
The SAG-AFTRA Actor Awards later moved from TNT and TBS to Netflix.
YouTube is also set to begin streaming the Oscars globally from 2029 after securing the rights from Disney and ABC.
History raises concerns
The Television Academy has previously faced difficulties after giving exclusive rights to a single broadcaster.
Fox secured the Emmys in 1987 after outbidding ABC, CBS and NBC, but ratings declined during the period.
ABC later held the rights before the Academy returned to the rotational system in 1995. This happened after rival networks threatened to withhold support from a ceremony aired exclusively by a competitor.
HBO also made a major bid in 2002, reportedly offering $50 million over five years. However, broadcast networks again threatened to boycott the ceremony if the deal proceeded.
Despite declining from historical highs, the Emmys remain a significant live television event.
Last year’s ceremony on CBS drew 7.59 million viewers, its strongest audience since 2021. Meanwhile, ratings for this year’s edition have yet to be released.
The Academy has also made changes to the ceremony itself. They have moved five award categories to earlier Emmy events to create more time for other elements during the main telecast.
A final agreement with Amazon Prime Video has not yet been announced.
