Emmy Awards format likely to be changed by TV networks, low-profile awards may get dropped out of ceremony

Prior to the announcement of annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominees, the Television Academy is to finalise a contract with four major television networks, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox in the US for the rights to the live ceremony, reported Variety. The terms of the deal include the four networks hosting the Emmys in rotation as well as a slight rise in the license fee (around $8.25 million a year), found Deadline but also the decision to push lower profile categories out of the show, an issue that is still being worked out. [caption id=“attachment_4663171” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Image from Twitter @bsusportslink[/caption] Executives of the TV Academy are starting an outreach with Writers Guild of America (WGA), Director’s Guild of America (DGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) on how to change the telecast so that there is enough airtime to incorporate entertainment content. These guilds have a say over the process as they grant residual waivers for clips shown during the ceremony without which the cost of producing the live telecast would increase. This concern comes after similar award shows like Oscars saw a steady decline in viewership. Deadline reported that a compromise will be reached at before the show’s telecast on 17 September. Currently, the TV Academy has 26 awards for the ceremony. According to Variety, the networks are not going to trim down specific number of awards. Instead, they hope to shift categories around the plans of the telecast producer.