Emmy Awards Move to Amazon Prime Video in Historic Shift

The Emmy Awards are breaking a decades-long tradition by moving from broadcast TV to Amazon Prime Video starting next year. The Television Academy has signed a six-year deal with Amazon, marking a shift to stream the event globally. Amazon will promote the show to its international subscribers and make it free for non-Prime Video customers. Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, expressed hope that the partnership will extend beyond the initial six years, aiming to make the Emmys a worldwide celebration of television.

The move ends the rotating hosting arrangement among ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox, which had been in place since the mid-1990s. The Television Academy sought a consistent partner to strengthen relationships with advertisers, talent, and viewers. Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy, noted the challenges of restarting the creative and production processes annually under the previous rotation system.

Broadcast networks have lost interest in promoting the Emmys as streaming platforms gain prominence, particularly among younger viewers. This year’s Emmys, hosted by NBC, drew nearly 7 million viewers, a 10% decline from the 2025 installment on CBS. The lower ratings were partly due to NBC scheduling the event on a Monday instead of the traditional Sunday to avoid conflicting with its popular program, 'Sunday Night Football.' Amazon sees this as an opportunity to boost the show’s profile and market its streaming services, including bundled offerings from other companies.

The Television Academy is also considering changes to the Emmy voting and award show calendar, potentially moving the event to May to keep it fresh. This follows a similar shift by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which announced that the Oscars will move to YouTube starting in 2029 after 50 years on ABC.