In a significant move that has been tried before, the Television Academy‘s Board of Governors voted to drop several categories from the 2026 Primetime Emmy show, set for NBC on Monday, September 14, and move them to the Creative Arts ceremonies held on the previous weekend of September 5 and 6.

For the first time, though, the Academy has decided to move some key categories for Limited Series/Anthology/Television Movie off the Primetime show, including Supporting Actor and Actress, Writing and Directing. Also being jettisoned to Creative Arts is Writing for a Variety Series.

This will have the effect of reducing categories presented on the Primetime show down to just 19, presumably to make room for more entertainment segments a la the Grammys which also presents the lion’s share of its categories in ceremonies held earlier. The move got a rocky reception from the guilds, with the DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA responded late Friday afternoon with a joint statement, saying in part: “The decision to eliminate these categories from the prime-time broadcast devalues the contributions of the talented people the Academy is meant to honor. An awards show dedicated to recognizing excellence should not reduce recognition for the artists whose work gives it meaning.”

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The Writers Guild in particular has been very vocal in the past about any attempt to reduce their categories on the primetime show. The Academy tried to move Variety writing and directing categories in 2020 and most recently in 2024, when the show aired on Fox. The latter decision was reversed after a loud outcry from the WGA — and no wonder because television is truly a writers medium if ever there was one.

Both guilds, as well as SAG, traditionally have had contractual agreements with the Academy to waive any residual fees for use of clips on the Emmy show. These fees can add up to several hundred thousands of dollars if the Academy and/or broadcast partner had to pay for them. I know all this from personal experience during my time on the TV Academy Board as a Writers branch governor for six years over a decade ago. When purging categories was proposed during that period, it was met with fierce resistance from the Writers branch, as well as WGA. With the guild’s help and some bad trade publicity — including a full-page ad packed wity heavyweight names supporting the writers — the decision was reversed, and all categories remained intact on the show.

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There was even a proposal back then to remove all the Limited Series/Movie categories entirely and sell them a separate show apart from the Emmys, perhaps to HBO, it was suggested at the time. I pointed out to the Board then it was a foolish idea considering those categories, particularly the acting, were the most prestigious and brought big-name stars to the Emmys like Meryl Streep, Al Pacino and many more who normally would be more likely to be found at the Oscars. Eventually they came to their senses and we saved that writing (and directing) category for the broadcast, where it hasn’t been touched since (until now).

We had an ironclad agreement with the guild for four writing categories (Drama, Comedy, Limited and Variety Series or Special, the latter on a rotating basis) in return for waiving the residual fees on clips. The category hasn’t been endangered since, but if the Board’s decision stands, only two writing (and directing) categories would remain on the Primetime broadcast (Drama and Comedy Series), with Variety also now entirely relegated to Creative Arts (something the Directors branch already had agreed to in past years).

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My co-Governor and I knew it would be a slippery slope if writers and directors ever gave in to the almost yearly desire of whatever network was airing the show (it is rotated as a wheel annually among the four broadcast networks) to just keep the more “audience friendly” categories and increase the entertainment value. Now you have your answer. Only two writing and two directing are standing, and how long before all of those are sent to Creative Arts as well?

The Oscars tried to trim its broadcast by moving eight categories to a pre-show in 2023, but it was widely criticized and hasn’t been floated again. It’s curious that this is being done just as the Academy is negotiating a new contract for the Emmy broadcast, and, if this move is being argued as a necessity to get the best deal possible, whether keeping the network broadcast wheel model or going another route. In its press release Friday, the Academy said, “This thoughtful evolution ensures this year’s NBC ceremony and future broadcasts remain deeply engaging and tailored to the television audience.”

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The real shocker here is the Academy also is including the actors for the first time. This move definitely wasn’t on my bingo card. Joining the four Guest Actor/Actress in the Drama and Comedy Series that have always been presented at Creative Arts will be the very prestigious Supporting Actor and Actress in a Limited Series/Movie categories. This year’s nominees for Supporting Actor are Jason Bateman, Richard Gadd, David Harbour, Richard Jenkins, Charles Melton and Nick Offerman. Supporting Actress nominees are Linda Cardellini, Dakota Fanning, Laurie Metcalf, Joy Sunday , Youn Yuh-jung and Constance Zimmer.

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