The Emmys are making their way into a new era, as Amazon Prime Video is designated as the exclusive global destination for television’s most coveted award ceremony, the Emmy Awards. Through a fresh six-year partnership with the Television Academy, the Emmys will leave behind their customary broadcast television format and will opt for the first time to stream only on Prime Video beginning with the 2027 event.
This marks a major shift for an awards show that has long been closely identified with traditional American broadcast networks. For years, Television Academy used to work in a rotating format called the “Wheel Deal”, with ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC swapping who airs the ceremony. That system ended with the 2026 broadcast, paving the way for Prime Video to set up a permanent residence.
A huge benefit for viewers is that they will continue to be able to watch the Emmys without having to pay. While the award ceremony is being put on by a subscription based streaming giant, Prime Video has stated that you will not need to have an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the ceremony. The show will be live streamed for free across over 240 countries and territories, so providing the first ever dedicated global destination for the Emmys.
The switch might also allow the Television Academy to reinvent the way the Emmys are tied to the viewers. It will now span a six-year period, rather than continually developing a new broadcast relationship. Chair Cris Abrego called the new partnership an opportunity for continuity and the building of a closer link with television creators and audiences across the globe.
It also diversifies Amazon’s expanding portfolio of live entertainment. Prime Video has increasingly invested in live shows, and the Emmys will bring another big television event to Amazon Prime Video that is well-positioned to draw audiences who haven’t necessarily been Prime subscribers. Amazon Prime Video will also have a chance to showcase nominated programs and TV talent throughout the year rather than just during the event itself.
This shift is emerging at a moment when streaming services are becoming more central to some of the biggest entertainment moments. While established television program audiences have splintered into on-demand viewers, streaming companies are seeking marquee live events that foster event television. The Emmys’ move to digital is though not wholly innovative: it mirrors other major awards shows, ‘ such as the Oscars, planned shift to YouTube beginning in 2029.
Audience growth will be a key challenge for the new partnership. The Emmys have suffered declines in TV ratings this century, coexisting with rising consumption and cultural cachet of the shows that the ceremony recognizes. Amazon and the Television Academy will look to Prime Video’s global streaming presence and a younger generation of subscribers to “have the show accessible for a new generation of viewers, “.
Per the new agreement, the first post-contractEmmy will be held in September 2027, which would be in the middle of the October-to-May television season that has traditionally defined the ceremony. Even so, the Academy has noted, future dates could be altered as it works to better accommodate viewers.
