WGA’s plan to cut writing categories on live broadcasts ‘misleading’

This morning’s announcement that the upcoming 75th Emmy Awards will feature three writing categories on the main telecast, instead of the usual four, is not sitting well with the WGA.

“The Television Academy’s plan to reduce the number of television writing awards this year is misguided given the critical role writers play in the creative process of variety series and creating value for this industry,” the guild said in a statement to Deadline. . “Variseries – the category left off the air – were the first shows after the WGA strike and these writers should be recognized on the live TV show.”

The WGA points to the fact that various series such as late night talk shows and Saturday Night Live, were able to return immediately after the writers’ strike ended because they are under a different SAG-AFTRA agreement, providing broadcast networks with much-needed new scripted content.

To make way for the return of Variety Special (Live) to the main broadcast while keeping the number of awards presented at 25, the TV Academy is eliminating the “Outstanding Writing for Variety” series, alternating with “Writing for Variety Special”. It was my turn. This time, both will be presented as part of the Creative Arts Emmys. For the past seven years, the Writing For Variety series has won an Emmy Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

The TV Academy already caused a stir in 2020 when the categories in the main live broadcast dropped to 23. This meant that the number of screenwriting and directing awards awarded was reduced to three each, with the WGA and DGA contractually guaranteed. from the TV Academy.

Both the WGA and DGA spoke out at the time, saying they had not signed off on the changes. A year later, the number of categories on the live show increased to 25, a number that has remained the same ever since. The number of directing areas remained at three, but the four writing categories were restored, with Variety Series/Special Writing still alternating.