Shaking Up the Emmys By Moving Five Categories Out of the Telecast Might Not Work, But at Least the TV Academy Is Trying Something
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- TV Academy Board of Governors voted last Thursday to move five categories off the NBC primetime Emmy telecast on Sept. 14 to separate ceremonies on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6, which will no longer be branded as the "Creative Arts Emmys."
- The relocated categories are writing for a variety series, supporting actor and actress in a limited series or movie, directing for a limited series or movie, and writing for a limited series or movie.
- DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA condemned the move in a joint statement, saying the decision "devalues the contributions of the talented people the Academy is meant to honor."
- Several nominees — including Jason Bateman, Dakota Fanning, David Harbour, Linda Cardellini and Nick Offerman — now have categories across both the primetime and pre-telecast shows, while Richard Gadd's HBO Max series "Half Man" received only one nomination, a supporting actor in limited series nod.
- The 2025 Emmys drew just 7.4 million viewers, and TV Academy chairman Cris Abrego acknowledged the format change is a gamble, with Jesse Collins Entertainment producing the ceremony.
- The TV Academy attempted a similar restructuring in 2005, moving seven categories to the Creative Arts show, but reversed course after industry backlash.
Why it matters: The move targets a 7.4-million-viewer telecast that the Academy sees as struggling for relevance, but the DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA are framing the relocation as a devaluation of the affected crafts — the same fight the Academy lost in 2005 when it tried to move seven categories and reversed course under pressure.
