Emmy Awards to Move to Prime Video in 2027 After Seven Decades on Broadcast TV
The Television Academy and Amazon unveiled a six‑year agreement on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2026, to stream the Emmy Awards on Prime Video starting with the 79th ceremony in September 2027, ending a seven‑decade tradition of broadcast‑network broadcasts.
The deal aims to address a steep decline in ratings – the ceremony once drew over 20 million viewers, but recent broadcasts have hovered near 7 million – by moving the event to the platform that dominates the prestige‑category market and reaches younger audiences.
Since its first national telecast in 1955, the Emmys have rotated among the four major networks for the past three decades in a “wheel deal” between ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, with NBC most recently hosting the ceremony.
“Continuity is a big part of what we’re looking for because the rotating part of it basically meant in many ways that we were starting over every year,” Cris Abrego, chairman of the Television Academy, told the Associated Press.
Amazon’s head of Prime Video and MGM Studios, Mike Hopkins, emphasized the urgency of the shift and the platform’s potential to boost viewership.
“We’re on the clock, we gotta get rolling,” Hopkins said. “I think we’re going to be able to increase the viewership over time on this show, age it down, actually bring in a younger audience, which I think is a catalyst to growing.”
The Academy secured a key condition: the ceremony will remain free to watch, with no Prime Video subscription required, preserving the public‑service ethos that has defined the broadcast.
The move mirrors the Oscars’ recent transition to YouTube, though the Emmys’ shift takes effect immediately rather than in a future year. Prime Video will also have the ability to promote nominees to its subscribers throughout the awards season, integrating the ceremony into a broader television hub.
While the September date for the 2027 ceremony is set, Abrego noted the partnership allows flexibility to explore date changes in future years, acknowledging the impact on voting deadlines and eligibility periods.
