Amazon's Prime Video wins exclusive streaming rights to Emmy Awards ceremony
In short
The Television Academy announced on October 6 that Amazon's Prime Video has acquired exclusive distribution rights to the Emmy Awards ceremony under a six-year contract, starting with next September's show. The ceremony had been rotated among four major US broadcasters, and the film Academy Awards are also set to move to exclusive streaming on YouTube from 2029. The academy said the Emmys should be a celebration shared worldwide, while Sankei reported Emmy viewership has been declining.
Read the full story 1 min read
The Television Academy announced on October 6 that Amazon's Prime Video has acquired the exclusive distribution rights to the Emmy Awards ceremony and related events. Jiji Press and Sankei Shimbun reported that the contract runs six years and that streaming will begin with the ceremony in September next year. Until now, the ceremony had been broadcast in rotation by four major US networks, according to Jiji and Sankei. Nishi-Nippon Shimbun also reported that Prime Video will exclusively stream the ceremony. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The academy said in a statement that the television industry is more globalized than ever and that the Emmys should be a celebration people around the world can share, both Jiji and Sankei reported. Jiji said viewing is expected to be possible in various countries even without a paid membership, while Sankei said the ceremony will be streamed free. Sankei, citing US media, also reported that Emmy Awards viewership has been on a declining trend. [ 1 , 2 ]
The move to a streaming platform follows the film Academy Awards. Jiji reported the Academy Awards ceremony has been televised by ABC since 1976 and that it will be streamed exclusively on YouTube from 2029. Sankei reported that the film academy announced last December that the ceremony would move to exclusive YouTube streaming from 2029. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The deal moves one of US television's most prominent awards ceremonies from broadcast networks to a streaming platform, following the film Academy Awards' planned move to YouTube. The academy frames the change as a response to a more globalized television industry. How widely the ceremony can be watched without a paid subscription remains a detail the two reports describe differently.
Key facts
- The Television Academy announced on October 6 that Amazon's Prime Video acquired exclusive distribution rights to the Emmy Awards ceremony. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The contract runs six years, and streaming will begin with the ceremony in September next year. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The ceremony had been broadcast in rotation by four major US networks, including ABC and CBS. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Television Academy said the television industry is more globalized than ever and the Emmys should be a celebration shared by people around the world. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The film Academy Awards ceremony has been televised by ABC since 1976 and is to be streamed exclusively on YouTube from 2029. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Sankei Shimbun, citing US media, reported that Emmy Awards viewership has been on a declining trend. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Amazon's Prime Video acquired exclusive distribution rights to the Emmy Awards ceremony. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The distribution contract has a term of six years. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Streaming starts with the ceremony in September next year. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The ceremony had been broadcast in rotation by four major US broadcasters. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Television Academy said the Emmys should be a celebration that can be shared worldwide as the television industry globalizes. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Academy Awards ceremony will be streamed exclusively on YouTube from 2029. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether viewers will need a paid subscription to watch the ceremony. Jiji reported viewing is expected to be possible in various countries even without a paid membership, while Sankei said the ceremony will be streamed free; the two reports describe the terms differently and neither gives full conditions.
- Which countries will be able to view the stream. Only Jiji mentioned viewing in various countries, so this is a single-source claim.
- The financial value of the distribution deal. Neither document states the contract's value or other financial terms.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Jiji Press publishes its report on the academy's announcement that Prime Video won the six-year exclusive distribution rights. [ 1 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reports the deal details, including free streaming and the Academy Awards' planned YouTube move. [ 2 ]
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reports that Prime Video will exclusively stream the ceremony. [ 3 ]