The Emmys are POSTPONED amid a Hollywood double strike: They will now ‘probably’ air in January instead of September
Television Emmys vendors have been informed that the ceremony will not air as scheduled on September 18, due to continuing SAG-AFTRA and WGA duels.
Hollywood actors went on strike earlier this month after talks with studios broke down, joining film and TV writers who have been on the picket lines since May and adding to the disruption of dozens of shows and movies.
Nominations for television’s highest honors were announced just before the declaration of the double work stoppage and were expected to delay the Emmys ceremony beyond its normal September date.
The exact date for the awards ceremony has not been determined and is not expected to be announced until early August, Variety reported.
Before the cast strike began, the Television Academy had hoped to set a date later in the fall, but Fox is circling for a new spot in early 2024.
Months Apart: The Television Academy wants the show to air in November, but Fox wants to air it in January to avoid conflicts with the NFL and other events; an Emmy statue in front of the Shrine Auditorium in 2007
The Academy and Fox fear the series could be devastated if the SAG-AFTRA union, which represents the actors, goes on strike, and it’s also possible that the ongoing WGA strike will extend further into the original date of the September 18.
According to Variety, the Television Academy has offered to push the Emmys back to sometime in November, about two months after the show normally airs, in hopes that union issues will be resolved by there.
However, the show’s broadcaster Fox is pushing for a more aggressive strategy. He suggests postponing the ceremony to January 2024.
The Academy and Fox agreed that the show’s cancellation was out of the question, as its 75th anniversary is too important a date to ignore.
If the strikes are settled on an ideal schedule, the Emmys could also be the first big awards show to air after new contracts are signed for actors and writers.
Fox has the most leverage and the final say on when the show will take place, because forgoing the broadcast is not an option.
The network is not supportive of a November date because that month is already filled with other high-profile events and lucrative NFL games. However, there is a precedent for a reshuffle in November, which had already happened in 2001.
That year, the ceremony was twice delayed, first by the September 11 terrorist attacks and then again by early military action in Afghanistan.
The publication notes that January 21 is the most likely date for the rescheduled show, as January 7 is already booked for the Golden Globes, while the Critics’ Choice Awards are held on January 14.
These dates assume the show remains on a Sunday. It could also be moved to another day of the week, although this may impact grades.
The last Emmys not to take place in September were the 2014 ceremonies, which were held in August to avoid any conflict with football.
