Amazon announced that starting in 2027, the Emmy Awards will move exclusively from traditional broadcast television to being streamed on Prime Video. This deal grants Amazon the rights to air the ceremony worldwide for six years, reaching over 240 countries and territories. Notably, the Emmys will have a fixed streaming home for the first time ever, rather than rotating yearly among major broadcasters like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC as they have for the past seventy years. Access to the awards will be free on Prime Video, even for viewers who are not Amazon Prime subscribers, although the financial details of the agreement were not made public.

The shift to streaming is occurring as Emmy viewership on broadcast TV has recently declined. For example, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, televised on NBC earlier this year, saw ratings drop nearly 10% compared to the previous year after some previous growth, drawing about 6.87 million viewers. While that is higher than the record low of 4.3 million earlier in 2024, it highlights the challenges traditional TV broadcasts are facing as audiences increasingly prefer digital platforms.

This move aligns with broader trends in the entertainment industry where major awards shows are transitioning to streaming platforms. For instance, the Oscars will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube starting in 2029 following a recent pact, while Netflix has been streaming the Screen Actors Guild Awards since 2024. These strategic changes reflect how the industry is targeting younger, streaming-oriented audiences and adapting to shifting viewer habits.

Amazon’s acquisition of the Emmy broadcast rights marks its growing ambitions in the entertainment market, emphasizing Prime Video’s role as a global streaming destination for high-profile live events. By providing worldwide access for free and establishing a consistent home for the Emmys, Amazon aims to enhance its global reach while addressing the evolving ways viewers consume televised entertainment.