Primetime Emmys Faces Potential Delay Amid The Writers’ Strike
The Television Academy and Fox, which is holding this year’s ceremony, have discussed contingencies amid the writers’ strike, now on day 51. Writers play a key role in the Emmy ceremony, and the show also requires a production lead time, so the consensus is that if there is no resolution to the work stoppage in sight by the end of July or early August, the Emmys, currently scheduled for September 18, 2023, will have to be postponed.
AMPTP is still negotiating with SAG-AFTRA, with talks looking to go down to the wire on the June 30 deadline and possibly beyond if negotiations are extended. If so, writers and studios will return to the negotiating table in mid-July at the earliest. That said, a deal by the beginning of August is not realistic. 2023 is a big year for the Primetime Emmys as it marks its 75th anniversary. The Daytime Emmys, which are hitting a 50th milestone this year, were supposed to air on CBS last week but were postponed due to the strike with no new date set.
A potential SAG-AFTRA strike will not directly impact the actual ceremony as awards shows, including the Oscars and Emmys. They are covered by SAG-AFTRA Network Television Code, an agreement negotiated separately between the guild and the "Big 4" broadcast networks and does not expire until July 2024. Still, a SAG-AFTRA strike would prevent members from attending, and many actors wouldn’t cross a picket line even if their guild is not on strike.
Unlike the Tonys, which were able to proceed without writers and picketing, the Emmys cannot continue without writers, and the show likely would be heavily picketed as it involves the TV industry where the WGA wants to impact the biggest changes with the new contract. Last month, MTV Movie & TV Awards scrapped its in-person ceremony when WGA picketed, and talent pulled out. Instead, it aired a pre-taped host-less show.
In an interview with George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS who is a member of the Television Academy’s Executive Committee, claims it’s too soon to tell if the writers’ strike will have an impact on the Primetime Emmys, adding, “We went through quite a lot of work to get the Tonys on, and I really appreciated the WGA working with us to help us figure out a way to do it.”