Primetime Emmy Awards

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' top honours for American primetime programming.

The Primetime Emmy Awards are the branch of the Emmys that honour American television made for primetime audiences. They are run by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) and come in three groups: the main Primetime Emmys, the Creative Arts Emmys for technical and behind-the-camera work, and the Engineering Emmys for advances in broadcast technology. Winning in a top program category such as Outstanding Drama Series is one of the highest marks of prestige a scripted show can earn, and the ceremony has long been a fixture of the television calendar each autumn.

Quick Facts

Awarded for: Excellence in primetime television
Presenter: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Country: United States

Facts from the source article.

Background

ATAS was set up by Syd Cassyd in 1946, and the first ceremony was held on January 25, 1949, at the Hollywood Athletic Club, where tickets were $5 and just six awards were handed out. At first only Los Angeles shows qualified, but the event went national in 1952. The prize was simply called the Emmy Award until the early 1970s, when the International and Daytime Emmys were split off. The Daytime split followed a 1968 episode in which judges gave no award at all in a daytime category, which angered soap writer Agnes Nixon. Cable shows became eligible in 1988 and streaming-only series in 2013. A realignment announced in December 2021 sorted categories by type of programming rather than time slot.

Did You Know?

Voters watched entries on DVDs at home from 2002 to 2014; online screening began in 2015 and DVDs were dropped in 2020.
Members of large winning teams can buy their own statuette for an estimated $400.
When NBC hosts, the show moves to a Monday to avoid clashing with Sunday-night NFL games.
Since July 1, 2021, the academy's professions have been sorted into 29 Peer Groups.