Primetime and Daytime Emmy Awards will be realigned based on genre, not time of day

Variety

The Los Angeles-based Television Academy and the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have agreed on a number of changes, including shifting all scripted programming to the Primetime Emmys, with two exceptions: Daytime soaps (multi-camera, weekday daily serials), which will remain with the Daytime Emmys, and children's and family shows, which will be part of the newly created Children’s & Family Emmys that launch next year. "In the talk fields, the TV Academy and NATAS will keep two separate talk show competitions in both the Daytime and Primetime competitions for now," explains Variety's Michael Schneider. "But the orgs have added language specifying the format and style characteristics that make a “daytime talk show” vs. a primetime or late-night talker. Series that have previously competed in the Daytime Emmys will continue to do so, and late night in the Primetime Emmys. But shows will be allowed to petition to switch competitions if they can make a case that they belong in that ceremony. Ellen is an example of a talk show that has a format to late-night shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon or The Late Late Show with James Corden, but will remain in the daytime competition because of precedent. But future daytime shows in the style of Ellen may want to submit in the Primetime Emmys." NATAS president/CEO Adam Sharp explains: “Imagine a column A and column B, and if you check more of the boxes in column A, you’re probably Daytime. If you check more boxes in column B, you’re probably Primetime." Sharp adds: "We’re no longer looking at the clock to decide what’s daytime, and what’s primetime. That just no longer makes sense, in the way consumers currently watch TV. I think this realignment reflects that and allows us to have more clarity between the two competitions. I think it also makes it a lot easier for creators in our community who were getting increasingly confused — ‘I produce a show for a streaming platform, that I intend to be consumed at all different times. So where does that put me?’”