The Emmys Are Leaving Broadcast TV for Good, With Prime Video Taking Over

For decades, watching the Emmy Awards meant tuning in to one of the big broadcast networks. ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC have long rotated the rights to television’s biggest night, with NBC hosting this year’s ceremony, which notably featured Mariska Hargitay as host.

But as streaming has transformed the TV landscape, the ceremony honoring that industry has been slower to change. Prime Video, however, has experience in this space, having streamed the Academy of Country Music Awards since 2022, which marked the first time a major awards show was live-streamed exclusively.

Now the Emmys are following suit. The Television Academy and Prime Video have announced a landmark 6-year deal that will make the Amazon-owned streamer the exclusive global home of the Emmy Awards beginning in 2027, ending the ceremony’s long rotation among the broadcast networks.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that viewers won’t need to pay. The ceremony will stream live and free on Prime Video, with no subscription required. It will also reach a much wider audience. The Emmys will continue to air in September, but will now stream across more than 240 countries and territories.

“Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share,” said Television Academy chair Cris Abrego in the official announcement. The deal runs from 2027 through 2032 and represents a significant financial boost for the Television Academy.

According to Deadline, the agreement is worth between $20 million and $25 million per year, with one source putting the figure at $24 million annually. Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said the company was honored to be trusted as the global home of the Emmys for the next 6 years. He told Deadline that Amazon wanted to create a global event on the platform.

Under the agreement, Prime Video may also carry other Television Academy programming. That could include the Hall of Fame and the Television Academy Honors ceremony.

Abrego has made clear this isn’t just about changing platforms. He told The Hollywood Reporter that the deal was an opportunity to rethink the model rather than simply renew the existing arrangement.

He added that the Academy did discuss a renewal with the broadcast networks and spoke with other outlets before choosing Prime Video. The streamer’s global footprint was a major factor in the decision.

Abrego also hinted at bigger creative changes ahead. He told Deadline that the Academy didn’t want to put on the exact same show, suggesting the number and type of categories, as well as the length of the ceremony, could all evolve.

The Television Academy and Prime Video will now begin planning the production and global distribution of the 2027 ceremony. Details about hosts and format have not yet been announced.

Fans are already speculating about who might lead the first streaming Emmys. Whoever takes the stage, the 2027 ceremony is set to mark a historic turning point for one of television’s most iconic events.

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