Amazon wins six-year global rights to stream Emmy Awards

Amazon and the Television Academy announced a six-year exclusive global broadcast partnership on October 6, 2026. Under the deal, the Primetime Emmy Awards will leave traditional broadcast television and stream exclusively worldwide on Prime Video across more than 240 countries and territories starting in 2027.

The inaugural broadcast under the agreement will be the 79th edition of the ceremony in 2027. Viewers will not need a paid subscription to watch the live telecast, with Amazon making the show available for 0 USD.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Amazon is paying about 15.0 million USD annually for the rights. That figure exceeds the previous annual fees paid by traditional networks, which ranged from 8.0 million USD to 10.0 million USD, with 9.5 million USD recorded in the Television Academy's annual report.

The move ends 71 consecutive years of Emmy broadcasts on network television and dissolves a 30-year rotation among the major networks. Audience levels on broadcast television have dropped sharply from historical peaks of 20.0 million viewers. The September 2026 ceremony drew 6.8 million viewers, with Nielsen recording an average of 6.7 million viewers, marking a 10.0% decline from September 2025. Platforms on streaming and premium cable took home 18 of the 19 major primetime trophies awarded at the event.