Broadcast TV is losing the party celebrating its own biggest stars.
The Emmy Awards are ditching their longtime rotation on network TV for Amazon Prime Video, signing a six-year deal that will put the ceremony exclusively on the streaming platform starting in September 2027.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Our broadcast partners have been tremendous stewards of the Emmys for many years, helping to build them into the cultural institution they are today,” Academy chair Cris Abrego said in a statement.
“Having a dedicated home with Prime Video allows us to build on that legacy with unprecedented global reach and a broader commitment to the Television Academy and our mission throughout the year.
The agreement, announced Tuesday, ends the annual handoff among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox — and gives Amazon another big-ticket live event its the fight for eyeballs.
It also delivers another blow to broadcast television’s awards-show lineup. The Oscars are packing up for YouTube in 2029, leaving longtime home ABC behind.
NBC had the last turn at the Emmy microphone, airing this year’s ceremony and closing a national broadcast chapter that began on the same network in 1955.
The farewell wasn’t exactly a ratings victory lap. This year’s show drew 6.8 million viewers, down about 10% from the previous year.
Now the Television Academy is betting on a worldwide audience.
“Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share,” Abrego added. “Now Prime Video audiences in more than 200 countries will be able to experience the Emmys live with no subscription required.”
Amazon and the Academy also promised new ways to keep fans involved throughout the year, although they offered no details.
The Emmys aren’t the only trophy show changing channels. Along with the Oscars’ jump to YouTube, the Grammys will move to Disney’s ABC, Hulu and Disney+ next year.
For the broadcast networks, the message is getting harder to miss: Television’s biggest nights no longer need television’s old gatekeepers.
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