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Expect fewer awards given out and increased performances at this year's Emmys. No less than five awards have been phased out of the televised ceremony amid concerns about audience viewership.
A new report by Variety delves into the plans for this year's Emmys, which will be aired on NBC on Sept. 14. The Television Academy's Board of Governors decided to shift five categories to the earlier ceremonies on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6. These include Writing for a Variety Series, Supporting Actor and Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie, Directing for a Limited Series/Anthology of Movie, and Writing for a Limited Series/Anthology or Movie. This effectively brings the total number of awards presented to less than 20.
The Emmys Evolve With 2026's NBC Telecast
“The Television Academy is committed to delivering a fresh new take on the Emmys broadcast, with a focus on entertainment that celebrates television shows, artists and moments audiences love while honoring excellent work from the past year," an official statement reads. "Given the extraordinary breadth of work recognized each year and the limited time available within a three-hour broadcast, a select number of categories will be moving to the Emmy ceremonies taking place the week prior to the telecast. This thoughtful evolution ensures this year’s NBC ceremony and future broadcasts remain deeply engaging and tailored to the television audience.”
According to TV Academy chair Cris Abrego, this move was made in order to create more time for musical performances and comedic bits. It also adds leeway for unexpected acceptance speeches, which tend to often go longer than planned. Picking which categories to remove was not an easy task for the TV Academy, and there are plans to reach out to the guilds for the affected groups to explain the change.
“There’s going to be some upset folks on this for sure," Abrego said. "We want to honor respect members across all the professions and all the guilds, which we do across all three nights of the Emmys. This decision, though, was made to protect and enhance the future of the telecast and future of the Academy… the decision is really about ensuring that the Emmy Awards remain the premier celebration of television — not only for today’s industry, but for the future. Audiences are evolving and changing, and so must the show.”
The Emmys Will Have Notable Changes This Year
The Emmys actually saw an increase of 8% with last year's telecast on CBS compared to 2024's airing on ABC. For years, the ceremony has been rotating through different networks to air the Emmys annually, as part of a deal that expires after this year's NBC telecast. Variety noted that putting more emphasis on entertainment could be seen as a "good faith attempt to combat concerns that awards shows are no longer the audience draw they once were."
Another change happening this year is that the TV Academy will drop the "Creative Arts" distinction for the Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 ceremonies. All three events, along with the Sept. 14 telecast, will collectively be referred to as simply the "Emmys." Abrego said that is something he's "really felt strongly about," adding that "every Emmy is incredibly valuable." The two nights of what were called the Creatve Arts Emmys were previously edited into a tape delayed special on FXX, and the plan is to continue that tradition this year, even with dropping the "Creative Arts" part of the name.
Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU will serve as the host of this year's Emmys. It will air on Monday, Sept. 14, at 8pm ET (5pm PT). Along with airing live on NBC, it can be streamed on Peacock.
