November 10, 2009

ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES EXPANDS PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARD NOMINATIONS IN 10 SERIES, PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES

Board of Governors Votes Overwhelmingly to Accommodate
Additional Nominees from New Golden Age of Television

North Hollywood, CA – The Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has voted overwhelmingly to expand nominations in 10 Primetime Emmy® Awards categories to accommodate an abundance of outstanding programs and performances.

 

Television Academy Governors raised from five to six the number of Primetime Emmy nominees in categories encompassing Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series programs, Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Comedy and Drama Series, as well as Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy and Drama Series.

“The increase in the number of nominees in these categories is a strong statement about inclusivity,” said Television Academy Chairman-CEO John Shaffner. “It exemplifies the Television Academy’s awareness of the amount of great television and fine individual work that is seen across the enormous spectrum of the television universe.”



The Primetime Emmy Awards Committee recommended the changes following an annual review of voting patterns based on a statistical analysis by Television Academy accounting firm Ernst & Young.

An extraordinary number of nomination-worthy programming and performances, combined with a series of ties over the past three years that resulted in six nominees in leading categories, convinced the Awards Committee and Governors to expand nominees in those categories.



The Television Academy Governors voted to discontinue the “two-phase” nominating process in the aforementioned series and performance categories. Nominees in the Drama and Comedy Series program categories will now be determined by the votes of the entire Television Academy membership, while nominees in the Drama and Comedy Series performer categories will be voted on by the Performer Peer Group.



Final voting for Comedy and Drama Series nominees, which determines the Emmy recipients, remains unchanged.

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About the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences



The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 just one month after network television was born. It is a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry.

In addition to recognizing outstanding programming through its Emmy® Award, the Television Academy publishes Emmy® Magazine and stages many industry-related programs, services and year-round events for the television community.

For additional press information and resources concerning the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, please direct your inquiries to Robin Mesger of The Lippin Group at (323) 965-1990.

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Contacts

For the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:
Jim Benson/Pam Golum

The Lippin Group

(323) 965-1990

pgolum@lippingroup.com

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