The Emmy Awards are set for a major change in how audiences watch the prestigious television ceremony after Amazon Prime Video secured exclusive global streaming rights under a new six-year agreement.
The partnership between Amazon and the Television Academy will begin with the 2027 ceremony, bringing an end to the long-running rotation among major US broadcast networks ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Under the new arrangement, the Emmys will continue to be broadcast live in September but will be available free to viewers worldwide. A Prime Video subscription will not be required to watch the ceremony, with the service expected to make the event accessible in more than 240 countries and territories.
Television Academy chair Cris Abrego said the decision was driven partly by a desire to give the awards a consistent home and expand their international reach.
“Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share,” Abrego said.
The agreement also marks the end of the so-called “Wheel Deal”, which had seen the ceremony rotate between the four major US broadcast networks for decades.
For Amazon, the deal adds another major live entertainment property to Prime Video, which has already expanded its live programming through sports and other events.
Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said the company was honoured to become the “global home” of the Emmys and described the arrangement as an opportunity to bring the ceremony to audiences around the world.
The move reflects the broader shift of major entertainment events from traditional television to streaming platforms.
