Emmys fumble again
06/19/09 09:19 AM
By ED BARK
Those wacky Emmy organizers are at it anew.
For the second time they've changed the date of their 61st annual prime-time awards ceremony. And in doing so they've again ensured that next to no one will be watching in the nation's No. 1 and No. 5 TV markets -- New York and D-FW.
The latest date, Sept. 20th on CBS, clashes with NBC's Sunday Night Football telecast of the inaugural NFL regular season game in Jerry's Arlington palace. The Giants-Cowboys matchup also is likely to be a big draw nationally. In fact it stands a good chance of being the most-watched game ever on Sunday Night Football.
The Emmy people originally announced Sept. 20th as their awards show date, but then punted to Sept. 13th to avoid delays from a doubleheader football runover on CBS. But then Emmy learned that MTV's Video Music Awards also are on Sept. 13th.
"MTV informed us they were locked into the same day . . . with venue and sponsorship agreements in place. We had the flexibility to move; they didn't," CBS entertainment exec Jack Sussman said in a statement.
The Emmys are supposed to start at 7 p.m. (central). CBS' preceding 60 Minutes is "planning a flexible broadcast following CBS Sports late afternoon NFL game" to keep the Emmys reasonably on schedule, the network says.
Last year's Emmys on ABC drew 12.4 million viewers, the second smallest audience ever. Opposite Cowboys-Giants, this fall's edition stands a good chance to set a new low.
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