After seven decades on network television, the Emmy Awards will move to Prime Video in 2027 under a new six-year deal aimed at reversing declining viewership.
The seven-decade era of the Emmy Awards living on broadcast network television is ending. Starting in 2027, the ceremony will shift to Prime Video under a six-year agreement that fundamentally alters how the industry honors its own.
Since 1955, the show has remained a fixture of the four major broadcast networks, most recently airing on NBC. For the last 30 years. those networks rotated the broadcast annually in a pact known as the “Wheel Deal.” Moving the ceremony to a streaming platform marks a final surrender to the digital shift that has transformed television production. leaving behind the traditional rotation that Television Academy chairman Cris Abrego says made the academy feel like it was “starting over every year.”.
By securing a single partner for the next six years, the academy is betting on stability. “Continuity is a big part of what we’re looking for,” Abrego said. “With one partner over six years, we can really learn together and build from year to year together.”
Despite the move to a streaming service. the academy insists the ceremony will remain free to watch. with no Prime Video subscription required. The deal echoes a similar 2025 move by the Oscars to shift to YouTube by 2029. though the Emmy transition is set to be immediate. Mike Hopkins. head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. emphasized the urgency of the new partnership. stating. “We’re on the clock. we gotta get rolling.”.
The move comes as the prestige of the awards struggles to match the reality of its reach. Once a cultural juggernaut drawing over 20 million viewers. the Emmys now frequently hover around 7 million. consistently trailing the Oscars. Grammys. and Golden Globes. Amazon hopes to reverse this trend by leveraging its platform to promote nominees year-round to its existing customer base. Hopkins suggested this could help “age down” the audience. noting that as a hub for both Prime productions and third-party content like “Widow’s Bay” and “The Studio. ” the service is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between streaming and live events.
Logistically, the transition addresses a long-standing point of friction: the NFL. The Emmys have historically struggled to compete with Sunday or Monday night football schedules. with this year’s ceremony notably overshadowed by a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos on ESPN. While the 2027 ceremony will remain in its traditional September slot, the agreement allows for flexibility. Abrego acknowledged that while changing the date would impact voting deadlines. the academy is open to exploring future shifts to avoid the ratings monolith of the NFL.
For the Television Academy, the platform is secondary to the mission. As Abrego put it, the goal remains to recognize excellence regardless of the screen on which it appears. Whether this transition to a digital-first home provides the audience resurgence the academy seeks remains to be seen. but the decision marks an undeniable departure from the broadcast traditions that defined the medium for seventy years.
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