The good news is that the Emmys just got a bit more fair.
The bad news is that they’ve added even more categories.
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Monday separated the variety/music/comedy categories, creating separate directing and writing Emmys for variety series and for specials.
Which means the writers and directors of one-shot shows — like the Academy Awards and Tony Awards telecasts — will no longer have to compete against writers and directors of regular series like "The Daily Show" or "Saturday Night Live."
In March, the Academy broke specials off from series for hosts and for performers, after eliminating its Emmy for variety or music program performance.
"The Television Academy’s board of governors, writers and directors peer groups have long wanted to see separate competitions for the VMC series and specials," TV Academy chairman and CEO John Shaffner said. "Now, writers and directors working on both VMC series and specials will take part in competitions that recognize the creative challenges posed by each format, as well as the talent required and accomplishments possible in both the series and specials categories."
Annually, the presentation of awards for directors and writers of VMC series will switch with those for VMC specials between the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony and the Primetime Emmy telecast after this year’s broadcast.
The Creative Arts category will be recognized during that telecast as well.
This year’s Creative Emmys are scheduled for Sept. 12, and will air on E! on Sept. 19. CBS will broadcast the Primetime Emmys on Sept. 20.
