CBS received 41 Primetime Emmy Award nominations in July, third among all networks, behind only HBO and ABC. That was apparently not enough for CBS entertainment chairman Nina Tassler.
“Boo,” Tassler said Monday when asked how she felt about CBS’ Emmys performance while speaking to reporters after her executive session at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Monday. She added, “Boo, boo, boo, boo, boo. You know, look, I’m bummed. What can I tell you? I think we have phenomenal performances, great writing, great directing.”
No CBS series was nominated for best drama or comedy series for the upcoming 67th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Broadcast networks overall lost ground in the Emmy nominations race this year, drawing 170 nods — down from 184 in 2014. Streaming services, meanwhile, drew 54 nominations, up from 39. Several of those services, including Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and Crackle, presented at TCA prior to CBS, with creators and cast members for their series often gushing about the creative freedom those services provide in comparison to traditional broadcast networks.
Asked Monday whether she was finding it difficult to compete with streaming services for talent, Tassler defended broadcast as the premiere platform.
“This is perhaps one of the most exciting times in the casting process we’ve had in so many years, because of how robust and how extensive, expansive the reach is,” Tassler said. She added, “You have a lot of actors who are coming from features into television because they love the quality of the material. They love the fact that if they’re shooting something it’s going to get on air. Even with something that’s streaming or on cable, you can shoot something and you have to wait 18 months before it’s going to be on the air. If you are on the CBS primetime fall schedule, you are shooting a show that the American public is going to see in just a few short months, and actors like their work to be seen.”
During her executive session, Tassler fielded questions regarding the future of several series, including “Under the Dome,” “Extant” and “Person of Interest,” but would not commit to whether those shows are ending or being renewed for additional seasons.
Tassler also discussed the state of the industry and CBS’ place in it. “Whatever the future of our business is — especially as we look to the digital landscape — you can be sure that CBS is represented,” she said, repeatedly returning to the theme of CBS as a content company rather than a broadcaster.
“As long as we continue to monetize, there is no concern that there are less people watching television,” Tassler said. She touted the fact that CBS, through its studio, owns most of its programming and thus is able to monetize it across multiple platforms, including digital. “Monetizing the content, that’s key.”