Why are there two Emmy award ceremonies in 2024? Understanding the Hollywood double strike

An industry-wide dispute in 2023 affected the calendar and led to a postponement

The 75th Emmy Awards took place in January 15 this year and the The 76th Emmy Awards will take place on September 15. Photo: Reuters

The 76th Emmy Awards is taking place overnight at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles – nine months after the 75th awards took place at the same venue.

The ceremony, which recognises the best television shows of the previous 12 months, traditionally takes place in early to mid-September – so why are there two Emmy award ceremonies in 2024?

The answer is down to the Hollywood double strike of 2023. Last year, major delays in film and television production due to widespread strikes led to the 75th Emmy Awards being postponed. It was initially set to take place in September 2023 but was pushed back to January 15, 2024 instead.

Which strikes caused the delay?

The first was the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, which started in May 2023. WGA, which represents more than 11,000 screenwriters, initiated the strike after it was unable to reach a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The dispute centred around pay for writers whose incomes had been declining due to streaming services that have transformed traditional revenue models. Other issues included residual payments from streaming platforms and guidelines and regulations around AI tools.

The WGA strike lasted from May until September of 2023, with members refusing to work for 148 days. It was the second-longest WGA labour stoppage since 1988, which lasted 153 days.

WGA’s strike caused disruption for the industry, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) compounded matters with a strike of its own two months later.

In July 2023, SAG-AFTRA, which represents more than 150,000 media professionals worldwide, went on strike against AMPTP. It continued until November, lasting 118 days.

It was the first time since 1960 that both writers and actors were simultaneously refusing to work and has since been referred to as the Hollywood 'double strike'.

There were similarities between the SAG-AFTRA and WGA disputes. SAG-AFTRA was demanding increased minimum pay rates; improved residuals, particularly in the case of royalties for reruns on streaming services; protection against AI technologies using the likenesses and voices of performers; and better working conditions in general. After a series of negotiations, agreements that addressed the concerns of both guilds were reached.

What was the impact of the double strike?

The impact on the entertainment industry was significant. More than 40,000 people across the industry lost their jobs. Financial losses were estimated to be more than $6 billion, according to a report by Deadline. The delay or cancellation of major film and television projects included films such as Dune: Part 2 and the third instalment of Deadpool 3. The strikes also led to a culture gap in the industry that impacted the calendar of award ceremonies and festivals.

Shows like the Emmys do not only highlight television shows, but are important cultural events in themselves. The Emmys depend on the participation of both actors and writers to be a success. Postponing the 2023 ceremony was a big move by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which owns the copyright and trademark of the awards show. It was the first time that the Emmys had been rescheduled since 2001, following the 9/11 attacks in New York.

And yet, the postponement of the 2023 Emmys to January of this year did not take anything away from any of the winners or the awards show overall. The 75th Emmy Awards were hosted by actor and comedian Anthony Anderson and honoured productions that aired from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, with popular shows such as Succession, The Bear and Beef winning most of the major awards.

The show had several memorable moments, including Quinta Brunson becoming only the second black woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her show Abbott Elementary, and the standing ovation for actress Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, as she took the stage.

The 76th Emmy Awards will focus on production that aired from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024 and will be hosted by father and son acting duo Dan and Eugene Levy. Leading the nominations is Shogun, followed closely by the restaurant dramedy The Bear.

The 76th Emmy Awards will be held on Monday at 4am UAE time (GST) and can be viewed on MBC, the streaming platform Shahid or on AlThaqafeya, which is number 66 under the Live TV section in the app.