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It was all fun and games this morning as television's best shows got to hear their names announced as nominees for the 2023 Emmy Awards. However, looming in the background over the whole affair is the prospect that the awards telecast may be delayed by several months if the WGA writers strike is not resolved by the ceremony's scheduled telecast date of September 18th.
With the unfortunate update Wednesday that the studios are not even planning to negotiate with the WGA for quite some time, organizers of the Emmys are in discussions about moving the awards celebration to a later date, possibly by many months and even into next year if necessary.
No definitive decisions have been made, as the entire industry is in flux between the writers' strike and the potential addition of an actors strike as well — if the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, in not able to make a labor deal with the Hollywood studios (their contract officially expires later today). If either or both of these work stoppages continues for another two or three weeks, the Emmy Awards will almost certainly have to be postponed.
Writers and actors have similar labor concerns, both stemming from their deteriorating compensation rates and working conditions in the age of streaming. Alternatively, the studios argue that they've seen a loss in profits with the old cable model collapsing.
The Television Academy, which administers the Emmys, and Fox, the network broadcasting the ceremony this year, have both declined to comment.
The Emmys, the premiere awards for the television industry, usually take place in August or September. The last time the Emmys were postponed to a later date was after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, when the event was pushed to November.
It seems the harsh reality of a prolonged Hollywood strike is starting to set in, dulling the usually bright displays of excitement on Emmys nominations day.