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At the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, nearly every trophy went to shows streaming online-except for one. Now, the ceremony itself might be following suit.
The Television Academy is reportedly in talks to move the Emmy Awards broadcast to Amazon Prime Video. This shift would break from the long-standing tradition of rotating the ceremony among the four major broadcast networks, according to sources familiar with the discussions. While the Academy hasn’t made an official announcement, a representative confirmed conversations are underway.
If the move happens, the Emmys would become the second major entertainment awards show to shift exclusively to streaming. The Oscars, for example, are leaving ABC for YouTube starting in 2029, ending decades of network TV broadcasts.
The Emmy telecast, like many live award shows, has seen declining viewership, especially among younger audiences who prefer watching highlights on social media rather than tuning in live. Recent broadcasts have drawn about 8 million viewers, a significant drop from past years.
One factor pushing the Emmys toward Amazon is dissatisfaction among the traditional networks-ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. These broadcasters have grown frustrated producing an event that largely serves as a lengthy promotion for streaming giants like Netflix, HBO Max, and Apple TV+, which invest heavily in the prestige programs favored by Emmy voters.
In contrast, broadcast network nominees often receive only nostalgic recognition. For instance, during Monday’s NBC broadcast, the only network-affiliated winner to take the stage was Stephen Colbert, whose CBS late-night show was recently canceled.
“It’s a lot of effort and not a lot of return,” remarked a broadcast executive speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Moving the Emmys behind a streaming paywall would mark a significant cultural shift, signaling that traditional broadcast TV has lost much of its influence in shaping entertainment trends.
However, streaming the awards exclusively also means losing the promotional muscle that comes with network backing. Broadcast networks typically support the show with special programming and morning show segments, though those benefits have waned as live viewership declines.
Netflix has previously explored securing Emmy broadcast rights but couldn’t strike a financially viable deal. The last contract reportedly cost around $8 million annually. Netflix did, however, acquire the rights to the Screen Actors Guild Awards (now called The Actor Awards), which has a lower profile than the Emmys or Oscars.
Amazon Prime Video, meanwhile, has been the most proactive streamer in acquiring live event rights, especially in sports, including the NFL’s Thursday Night Football and a substantial share of NBA games. The streamer also secured the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2022.
As conversations continue, the potential move to Amazon Prime Video could reshape how one of television’s biggest nights reaches its audience, reflecting broader changes in how viewers consume entertainment today.