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The Emmy Awards are leaving traditional broadcast television for Prime Video, marking a major shift in how one of the US television industry’s biggest award shows will reach audiences. The Television Academy and Amazon announced a six-year agreement on Tuesday (October 6, 2026).
It made Prime Video the exclusive global home of the Emmys beginning with the 2027 ceremony. The awards will continue to be broadcast live in September and, importantly for viewers, will remain free to watch without a Prime Video subscription.
The deal ends the long-running arrangement in which ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC rotated broadcasting duties. The change reflects the growing influence of streaming platforms as traditional television networks face declining audiences and increasing competition for major live events.
Under the new agreement, Prime Video will stream the Emmy Awards live in more than 240 countries and territories. The 2027 ceremony will be the first under the new partnership, while the financial terms of the six-year deal were not disclosed.
The Television Academy said having a single long-term partner will provide more continuity than the previous rotating model. Instead of rebuilding promotional and production relationships with a different broadcaster each year, the Academy and Amazon can develop the event together over multiple years.
The move ends a broadcast tradition dating back decades. The Emmys have aired on one of the major US broadcast networks every year since 1955, with the ABC-CBS-Fox-NBC rotation becoming the established model in recent decades.
The shift comes as streaming services have become increasingly central to the television industry. Many of the shows and performers recognized at the Emmys now come from streaming platforms, making Prime Video’s role as a global distribution platform a natural extension of that change.
For Amazon, the agreement adds another major live event to Prime Video’s growing entertainment portfolio, which already includes sports and other live programming. The company hopes its global reach can help attract younger viewers and increase the Emmys’ audience over time.
The Television Academy also plans to work with Amazon beyond the annual ceremony. Prime Video is expected to help promote Emmy-nominated programs and connect audiences with the awards year-round.
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The move follows a broader shift in major awards shows toward digital platforms, including plans for the Oscars to move to YouTube from 2029. For the Emmys, the six-year Prime Video deal signals that streaming is no longer simply an alternative distribution channel; it is becoming a central home for television’s biggest events.
