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Cable Nets Want Emmy Telecast Shot

Posted on: Tuesday, 19 August 2008, 21:00 CDT

With their programming increasingly dominating the nominations, basic cable networks say they'd like to host the annual Emmy Awards telecast.

With shows such AMC's "Mad Men" and FX's "Damages" scoring more nominations than any dramas on the broadcast networks, executives of the cable networks say they want to be involved when the current Emmy telecast contract comes up for renewal after 2010, the show business newspaper Variety reported Tuesday.

The Emmys currently rotate between ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS. ABC will host this year's event Sept. 21 in Los Angeles, followed by CBS in 2009 and NBC in 2010. But after that, discussions might include some cable networks, industry sources told Variety. Representatives of AMC, FX and USA Network told the newspaper they would all love a shot to televise the show.

The show's ratings dropped substantially in 2007. Two years earlier, 18.6 million people watched the Emmys on NBC, but that figure dropped to 12.9 million for last year's show on Fox.

But cost could be a big issue for the smaller networks, Variety said. The current agreement, which was signed in 2003, demands a $5.5 million license fee from 2003-06, and $7.5 million from 2007-10.

Source: United Press International

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