There are still two years left on the “deal” the Television Academy struck with the big four broadcast networks, keeping the broadcaster’s home on the air until 2026. But it’s not too early to think about the show’s long-term future, especially as we see a rapid decline in the amount the conglomerates are investing in their linear properties.
In 2018, when ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox struck an eight-year deal to hand out the Emmys — while keeping them rotating annually (the so-called wheel) between them — storm clouds were already brewing. But at the time, Netflix was the only real streaming player, and we were still a year or two away from the arrival of Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and others.
By 2026, a lot will have changed. Just last week, Disney downsized its legacy networks. CBS is reportedly cutting its budgets, including for specials (which means the daytime Emmys may soon need a new home). Even Fox has made cuts.
If a new deal is negotiated, it will likely be with the conglomerates, not the broadcast networks. This year, ABC’s Primetime Emmys won’t be available on Hulu until the following day. By 2026, I can guarantee you that all major TV event licenses will be streaming deals first, i.e., the Emmys will be on Disney+/Hulu/ABC, NBC/Peacock, and CBS/Paramount+ (well, if that still exists) simultaneously.
As such, I think some companies are more inclined to keep the Emmys alive than others. We may see one of them take full control of the show, just as the Oscars (ABC), the Grammys (CBS), the Tonys (CBS), and the Golden Globes (CBS currently) do.
There are pros and cons to having the Emmys on one channel. Moving the show from one channel to another means no one has a real incentive to make a big show that will attract viewers — because a competitor will benefit from all the marketing and momentum the following year. And giving the show to one company might have mobilized more energy to make it a more raucous event.
On the other hand, things weren’t so good the last time the Emmys were held in one place. From 1966 to 1986, the Emmys alternated between ABC, NBC, and CBS. Then the upstart Fox swooped in with an offer the Television Academy couldn’t refuse, snatching up exclusive rights to the series. But that happy day came at a steep price: ratings slumped for the fourth network.
Eventually, the Television Academy moved the telecast exclusively to ABC—but after two years, everyone involved realized that a wheel-and-spoke deal made more sense, because this is the biggest night in television, after all. Having the Emmys go to just one company suddenly makes it theirs—and might make competitors less inclined to make a big deal out of it. And so it’s been rolling around on the networks ever since.
But I have another idea, and I'm surprised it hasn't been more widely discussed: make the main Emmy Awards ceremony a “barrier” to TV and streaming (in other words, live on every outlet at once).
That's right, don't just stream the ceremony in one place every year – make it available everywhere, like the State of the Union address or the Stand Up to Cancer charity broadcast.
Think about it: Right now, the Television Academy gets about $8 million a year in licensing fees, split among the four networks. What if the broadcasters, the consortiums, and the streaming companies each chipped in? The Television Academy could pocket a few more dollars, and the cost to the individual outlets would be lower.
Most important, the Emmys will be broadcast on all channels and websites. This will be a great moment for the television industry to show off its capabilities to a much larger audience and remind them why they love the medium. Ratings will go up. The competition will be level, because everyone is broadcasting the same ceremony. Perhaps a board of executives from each media outlet will meet to help plan the telecast with producers and the academy.
Oh my god, why wait until 2026? Let's start breaking the wheel and live streaming the big Emmy Awards next year. Time is running out.
