The Television Academy is in advanced negotiations with Amazon Prime Video to carry the Primetime Emmy Awards, a potential change that would end a long connection between television’s leading awards ceremony and broadcast networks.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on NBC and NBCUniversal-owned Peacock concluded the existing rotating arrangement among major broadcasters. If an agreement is reached, the Emmys would move to a streaming service for the first time in their history.
The Academy has made no official announcement. Cris Abrego, the TV Academy Chair, said “conversations are continuing” over the future home of the televised awards ceremony.
A Television Academy spokesperson also said: “We're having conversations and when we have something to announce we will do so”. Neither Amazon nor the TV Academy has commented on the matter as of the time of reporting.
The talks follow the end of a 31-year system under which the ceremony rotated among broadcast networks. The arrangement, known as the wheel deal, has been in place since 1995 and assigned hosting duties to ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Under the most recent eight-year deal, struck in 2018, the networks paid just over $8 million a year for the right to host the Emmys. The wheel deal also required each network to pay approximately $10 million annually in licensing fees, along with production costs during its airing cycle.
A Prime Video arrangement would change access for viewers. A subscription would be required to watch under the proposed model. The financial terms under discussion have not been disclosed, and it remains unknown whether a deal will be completed or when an announcement may come.
The negotiations come as streaming services hold a growing share of Emmy nominations. In the previous year, ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC collectively received 99 nominations. HBO/Max secured 142 nominations, Netflix obtained 120 and Apple TV+ received 79.
Amazon has its own stake in the awards business. Its Prime Video and MGM Studios subdivisions earned 17 statuettes at the Emmys.
Other major Hollywood awards shows are also moving to streaming platforms. The Academy Awards are heading to YouTube in 2029, while SAG-AFTRA’s Actor Awards are already on Netflix. A Prime Video deal would make the Emmys another major Hollywood awards show to leave network television.
For 75 years, the Emmy telecast has been associated with broadcast television. The proposed deal reflects a changed television business, in which streaming platforms now receive more Emmy nominations than the four broadcast networks that previously shared the ceremony.
For now, the prospective agreement remains under discussion. It is also unknown whether any arrangement would cover only the Primetime Emmys or extend to other Emmy ceremonies.
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