Television Academy Sets Eight-Year Emmy Awards Rights Deal with Big Four Networks

By Cynthia Littleton

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The Television Academy has finalized a new eight-year deal with the Big Four broadcast networks for rights to the annual Primetime Emmy Awards telecast.

The TV Academy and ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox have been negotiating the new pact for months. The sides had been wrangling over the networks’ desire to adjust the format of the show and gain flexibility to give out fewer awards during the three-hour live telecast. It’s not immediately clear how that issue was resolved in the new contract or if it remains to be sorted out between the TV Academy and the major talent guilds. The Television Academy declined to comment on the specifics of the deal.

The deal once again calls for the show to rotate annually among the four networks. The license fee is said to be in the neighborhood of $10 million a year by the end of the deal. But unlike the other major awards shows, which command much higher license fees, the presenting network foots most of the bill for producing the Emmy telecast.

The most recent Emmy contract expires with the 2018 telecast set for Sept. 17 on NBC. The new pact runs through 2026, and starts with Fox in 2019.

Attorney Ken Ziffren handled the talks on behalf of the TV Academy.

“We thank Ken Ziffren and all those involved from both the Television Academy and the broadcast networks in reaching this new agreement,” said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington. “We are excited to continue our collaboration with the four networks in celebrating excellence in television each year, honoring the great programs, performances and content that captivate millions of fans.”