The Emmy Awards, a fixture of broadcast television for more than seven decades, is making a historic pivot to streaming. The Television Academy and Amazon Prime Video announced Tuesday a six-year agreement that will make the streaming service the exclusive global home of the annual ceremony, starting with the September 2027 show.
In a joint statement, the two organizations touted the deal as a “bold, innovative vision” that will transform the Emmys into “a year-round cultural celebration,” offering fans new ways to engage with their favorite television programs. The shift ends a tradition dating to 1949, when the awards first aired and rotated among the major broadcast networks.
The move is the latest sign of streaming’s growing dominance over live events. In 2021, the NFL made Prime Video the exclusive home of Thursday Night Football, marking the first time a streaming service secured a full game package. That precedent, along with the Emmys’ decision, underscores how traditional media distribution is being reshaped by digital platforms.
Prime Video and the Television Academy emphasized that the ceremony will not be placed behind a paywall. The 2027 broadcast will be “free to view for audiences worldwide,” they said, a move aimed at maintaining the event’s broad cultural reach even as it migrates to a streaming platform.
The announcement comes amid a broader realignment in the entertainment industry, as legacy networks grapple with declining viewership and streaming services compete for premium live content. The Emmys’ departure from broadcast TV is a significant blow to the traditional network ecosystem, which has already lost major sports and awards programming to cable and streaming.
For Prime Video, the deal strengthens its position as a destination for live events and original programming. The company has been investing heavily in sports, unscripted content, and award-winning series, and the Emmys will add a marquee annual event to its roster.
Industry analysts see the move as a calculated bet by the Television Academy to modernize the Emmys and attract younger audiences, who increasingly consume content on streaming platforms. By partnering with a global tech giant, the academy hopes to expand the ceremony’s international footprint and create new interactive experiences around the awards.
The transition will not take effect until 2027, giving broadcast networks two more years to air the ceremony. Until then, the Emmys will continue to air on traditional TV, but the writing is on the wall: the era of broadcast television as the default home for major awards shows is coming to an end.
