Emmys get new date as Hollywood strike leads to long delay
Los Angeles, California - The Emmy Awards have been postponed by almost four months, organizers said Thursday, as strikes by Hollywood's actors and writers drag on with no resolution in sight.
TV's equivalent of the Oscars had been due to take place this September, but will now be held in mid-January next year, Fox and the Television Academy wrote in a statement.
"We are pleased to announce that the 75th Emmy Awards will now air on Monday, January 15, 2024," said a Fox spokesperson.
The Emmys are the most significant entertainment event so far to be delayed by Hollywood's first industry-wide walkout by both actors and writers in more than 60 years.
The last time the Emmys were delayed was in 2001, when the ceremony was pushed back in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
Due to the ongoing actors' strike, A-list stars and nominees would not currently be allowed to attend the Emmys – a development that would be disastrous for ratings.
Writers would also not be allowed to script a monologue or jokes for the telecast's host and presenters, and a postponement was long expected.
Hollywood writers' strike rolls pass 100-day mark
The lengthy delay is intended to allow both sides time to resolve their differences, although the various parties have barely spoken through any formal channels since the writers' strike began 100 days ago.
Writers Guild of America (WGA) members were joined on the picket lines last month by the far larger Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA.)
The unions' demands have focused on dwindling pay in the streaming era, and the threat posed to their careers and future livelihoods by artificial intelligence. Writers and actors say studios have been methodically eroding their salaries for years, making it impossible for all but the very top ranks to earn a living.
They contend that the rise of streaming platforms – who usually keep viewing figures secret – has deprived them of giant paydays when they create global hits.
Mid-January lands the Emmys right in the middle of Hollywood's packed film awards season, one week after the Golden Globes, and just 24 hours after the Critics Choice Awards. The Oscars are set to be held on March 10.
Nominations were announced in mid-July, with Succession leading the way.
Cover photo: REUTERS