Emmys postponed amid both writers and actors strikes

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Emmy Awards will be postponed due to the writers and actors strikes. The ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have caused an overhaul industry stoppage. (Salon’s unionized employees are represented by the WGA East.)

The prestigious television awards show has only ever been rescheduled in one other instance after the 9/11 attacks. This year, it was planned to air on Sept. 18. Due to the labor dispute, the event does not have a rescheduled date but the New York Times reported that the Television Academy, the organization in charge of administering the Emmys, hopes that it will most likely move to January 2024. Fox, which would be airing this year’s awards, is aiming for an earlier date in November this year.

Fox and the Television Academy said it would postpone the awards if the writers strike continued into the summer. The writers have been on strike for 88 days, beginning in May. Actors have been on strike for two weeks since negotiation broke down between studio executives and the actors union in mid-July which rendered the Emmys all but canceled.

Neither Fox or the Television Academy have made statements on the event’s cancellation but Variety reported that vendors were told the Emmys wouldn’t take place on Sept. 18 as planned.