1 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties, weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, business editor of Variety Today. My guest in 4 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: New York is Adam Sharp. Adam is President and CEO 5 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: of the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences. Adam 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: runs the New York based institution that administers Emmy Awards 7 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: for daytime shows, news and documentary productions, sports, and for 8 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: local TV produced in markets that are organized into twenty 9 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: regional chapters across the country. Basically, nati's hands out Emmy's 10 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: everywhere but Hollywood, which remains the province of the North 11 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: Hollywood based Television Academy. In our conversation, Sharp discusses in 12 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: detail how NATAS had to adapt to changing times after 13 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: challenges were raised in two thousand eighteen to the fairness 14 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: of the Daytime Emmy Awards submission and judging process. How 15 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: NATAS responded meant coming up with clear definitions for things 16 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: that never had to be defined before the era of 17 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: technology changing television, and it also forced the Academy to 18 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: come up with uniform standards across its various awards groups. 19 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: He also talks about warming relations between NATAS and its 20 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: West Coast counterpart. Adam Sharp, President and CEO of the 21 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences, Thank you so 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: much for stopping by. Of course, thank you for having 23 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: me tell us a little bit about what NATAS does. 24 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,480 Speaker 1: I don't think it's profile in the broader television community 25 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: is as big as the West Coast counterpart, now called 26 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: just the Television Academy. Give us a sense of kind 27 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: of what your charter ad mission is. So the core 28 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 1: mission is to foster and recognize excellence in television in 29 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: all its forms, and for us, in our alignment with 30 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: our two sister academy, as you mentioned, the Television Academy 31 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: and on the West Coast that does the Primetime Emmys, 32 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: we have another sister academy, the International Academy of that 33 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: does the International Emmys. And then our Academy recognizes excellence 34 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: in daytime programming, sports, news and documentary programming, technology and engineering. 35 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: And then we also have nineteen regional chapters around the 36 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: country who honor excellence in local and regional programming. So 37 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: your local newscast coverage of local sporting events and so on, 38 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: and so it's a pretty big mandate. But between the 39 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: three academies, we try to cast a wide net to 40 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: recognize all the talent that's being produced and all their 41 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: creativity in our industry. Let's talk a little more specifically 42 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: about the Daytime Emmys. I know that you had there 43 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,959 Speaker 1: was a controversy. There was some conflict in the two thousand. 44 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: After the two eighteen competition, some competitors raised some concerns 45 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: about eligibility issues, the the application and implementation of rules 46 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: for submissions. I don't want to go onto the rabbit 47 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: hole of down how much of six seconds of content 48 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: needed to be on screen? I know it got very 49 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: very specific, But tell me about and that was a 50 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: kind of a test for you as a leader because 51 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: you were the interim head at that time. Clearly you 52 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: passed the test because you're you got the permanent job. 53 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: But tell me when you had people were being sent 54 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: home with a toaster so um, when you had people 55 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: raising issues that you know could very clearly damage the 56 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: integrity of the award, how did what was kind of 57 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: your first response? I think concern certainly when I look 58 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: at our competition and I look at our award, in 59 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: particular UM, It's value in the marketplace and to us 60 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: as an organization far outstrips this in pound lump of 61 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: mixed alloys dipped in a very thin coat of gold. UM. 62 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: And the reason why people will spend the money to 63 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: enter our competition, to attend our shows, to watch our shows, 64 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: and so on is not because of the object so 65 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: much as what it represents. And for that value to 66 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: be protected, the integrity of the process has to be 67 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: sacrisind And so there is a big perception dynamic, and 68 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 1: whether concerns are wanted or not doesn't even matter if 69 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: people have concerns that devalues the brand. And so that 70 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: means every question that comes up has to be treated 71 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 1: with equal seriousness uh and not dismissed out of hand. 72 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: And when we dug into some of the questions that 73 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: had been raised, UM, I think we found that many 74 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: aspects of our internal processes were flawed and in part 75 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: had been established at a very different time in television, 76 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: and that with the growing competition, with the higher number 77 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: of entries coming in, with the different types of media 78 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: and different ways of storytelling coming in, that those process 79 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: didn't scale well to that. And so now I look 80 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: back on that experience, which the stories broke my first 81 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: week as the interim CEO, so it was sort of 82 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: a be careful what you wish for or welcome to 83 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: the new job. Now I look back on that time 84 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: with some degree of gratitude because it gave us an 85 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: opportunity to really peel back the curtain and dig really 86 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: deep into how we operate, asked serious questions, and and 87 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: make fundamental changes in a much quicker, more aggressive way 88 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: than perhaps we would have if we didn't have that spark, 89 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: that catalyst kicking it off. I had the this from 90 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: people questioning the validity of the process. And but even 91 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: to to your point, and without going down the rabbit 92 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: hole on one of the issues, one of the critical 93 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: questions of eligibility in one case came down to how 94 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: you define the word episode, because one of our rules 95 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: hinged on that question the number of episodes, and for 96 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: our forty five year history leading up to that point, 97 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: that probably was never in doubt. But now when you 98 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: have these different distribution mechanisms, and you have contempting package 99 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: differently for mobile versus the big screen, for the subscription 100 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: distribution versus the transactional distribution, and so on. It now 101 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: actually becomes a debatable point in in some cases. And 102 00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: while we UH didn't want to UH in subsequent year, 103 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: this year we made a much clearer definition that was 104 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: more in line with the current industry. I think we 105 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: looked at that and said, well, there there is room 106 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: to disagree because this definition is not necessarily the same 107 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: as it was ten years ago, twenty years ago. And 108 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: you said that that the process for Daytime also kind 109 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: of made you take a hard look at your other 110 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: awards books, you know, the very phone book books. I'm 111 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: sure the rules and procedures, but kind of made you 112 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: look at all those in a nineteen if not lens 113 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: for how to how to interpret these things exactly. And 114 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: so what we found were, um, these initial questions that 115 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: were raised were obviously very specific to one entry in 116 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: one category in one competition, but once we started digging 117 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: into the foundational issues behind them, we started seeing opportunities 118 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: for change across the organization. And so we have now 119 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: made a consolidated rule books so that we have a 120 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: certain number of core rules that are same across Daytime 121 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: Sports and News and doc whereas they were all independent before. 122 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: We have realigned our team so instead of having these 123 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: units where one team would manage both the competition and 124 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: the production of the show UM, where that created challenges 125 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: that you either were getting a late start on getting 126 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,439 Speaker 1: ready for the show, or you're taking your eye off 127 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: the ball during a certain point in the competition to 128 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: go focus on the show, neither of which is a 129 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: good choice. We've now moved to a model where we 130 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: have awards administration teams for each competition and then a 131 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: separate production team responsible for all the shows that is 132 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 1: not involved in the awards judication. UM. We've gone through 133 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 1: and added a far more detailed glossary to all our 134 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: rules trying to get to those definitional points. We've created 135 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: more engagement with the community to get their feedback and involvement. 136 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 1: We've started doing webinars during the competition process so people 137 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: can ask questions, and then at the end of it. 138 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 1: We are the only awards competition, at least at our level, 139 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: that now publishes at the end of each competition a 140 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: transparency report UH and in that report we identify every 141 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: bump in the road, every time someone along the way 142 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: asked for an exception to the rules or we had 143 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: to reinterpret something because someone says, Okay, I have this 144 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 1: show that's a little different that doesn't fall neatly into 145 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: one of these boxes, or we had to break a 146 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: tie or disqualified balance because of irregularities. Um. All these 147 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: types of things that used to take place completely behind 148 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: the curtain. UM, we now actually published so people can 149 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: see how these decisions happened and understand those underlying discussions 150 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: that led to them. Did you and so earlier this 151 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: year in the spring, was was you rolled out this process? 152 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:11,719 Speaker 1: How did it? How did it go? Were there any 153 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: hiccups where did people? Were there any bad reactions to 154 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: some of the new procedures. No. I think it was 155 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: largely very well received. I mean certainly. Um, like with 156 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: any other year, we had people who had exceptions they 157 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: wanted that were rejected. They you had people who challenged 158 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: certain nominations and that where we allowed those nominations to 159 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: stand and then they were disappointed. UM. But I think 160 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: when you look through the transparency report and see the 161 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: outline of how we reached those determinations, that actually went 162 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: a long way to building community confidence and understanding in 163 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: it because it did not seem as perhaps arbitrary or 164 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: capricious as in years past, where the same decisions may 165 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 1: have been reached, but it was just some pronouncement being 166 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: handed down from on high, right, and they weren't articulated 167 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: as to the reason. And so I think by being 168 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: more transparent with the community, even if not everyone agrees 169 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: with us all the time, they at least, we hope, 170 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: have a greater trust in the process and the mechanism 171 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: by which the UH the decision was reached. And I 172 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: think culturally right now there is this greater desire across 173 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: all institutions, not just ours, for transparant serencies, the watch 174 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: words and accountability UH and and so on and and 175 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: perhaps the more insular nation insular form of these awards 176 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: shows in years past, maybe past their time. And I 177 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: think we've adapted quite well in the last year. How 178 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: how do you guys handle the final judging process of 179 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: like say, the daytime Emmy Awards. Is it's people in 180 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 1: a room watching video or do you do it online? 181 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 1: Now there's been you know, there's been a big sea 182 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: change in the in the whole process of final judging 183 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: for big awards is in the last couple of years. 184 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: And this is an area where we are a little 185 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: bit different than a lot of shows. Um. Every one 186 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: of our categories are done by panels of judges. So unlike, 187 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: for example, the Primetime Emmys or or the Oscars, where 188 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: a ballot will go out to a the entire community 189 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: to vote and you'll see for your consideration campaigns and 190 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: screeners and so and so forth, for us, the termination 191 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: is made by a small group of of judges uh 192 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: usually anywhere from fifty depending on how big the category is, 193 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 1: who watched the entries online and vote online and are 194 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: required to watch every entry in its entirety. In fact, 195 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,679 Speaker 1: they are not. The button doesn't light up for them 196 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,959 Speaker 1: submit their ballot until the player can detect that they 197 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: have watched it through. And we think that gives a 198 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: real opportunity for new players in the space, in particular 199 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: because a independent producer submitting for the first time going 200 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: up against a industry lion who has been in the 201 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: competition for years, are going to get the same fair 202 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: shake from the judges. Do you use that same process 203 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: for the News and Sports Emmy Awards as well? Yes, 204 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 1: So our process for all three of our shows is 205 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: the same daytime Sports and News and Documentary, so they 206 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: are all fully online with the exception of a couple 207 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: of categories that do live judging largely for technical reasons. 208 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 1: So categories that have a large amount of VR or 209 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: are content now will do that in person and invite 210 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: the producers to come in so that they can specify 211 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: the hardware its being ex lancet on and make sure 212 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: that their content is being seen in the best light. 213 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: For some animation categories, uh, we let people bring in 214 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,319 Speaker 1: their story boards and everything else, so there's more of 215 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: a tactile part of that. But for the vast majority 216 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: of our categories, across all the competitions, it is that 217 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: panel judging online with substantial or hundred percent play through 218 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: required and how do you how do you assemble the 219 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: judging panels. So that's probably one of the biggest challenges 220 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: of our team. If you look across our three competitions, 221 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: there's close to two thousand judges recruited every year, and 222 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: we are looking for expertise in a particular area that 223 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: they're going to judge, so working professionals who work in 224 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: that field. So if this is an acting category, other actors, 225 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: if it is a editing category, other editors. But then 226 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: on the flip side, you want to avoid conflicts of interest, 227 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: so you can be judging something you worked on or 228 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: your show, and so that winds up sometimes going outside 229 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: our immediate community. So you'll see people who work in 230 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: primetime television voting in in daytime, some people in sports 231 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: voting in news, and vice versa, if that particular craft 232 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: is somewhat similar between the disciplines. UH. This year, in 233 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: some of our daytime categories, we made a partnership with 234 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: our friends on the West Coast of Television Academy so 235 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: that those categories will be exclusively judged by Academy members 236 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: and we'll be working with them to recruit judges for 237 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: that gotcha. Um, What for the last couple of years, 238 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: for a bunch of years, certainly predating your tenure, the 239 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: Daytime Emmys have been a TV awards show that has 240 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: not been on old fashioned TV, linear TV anyway in 241 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: a live format as as we're so used to award shows, 242 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: and as the Daytime Emmy's aired for years, what is 243 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: the turtle to getting it to getting a TV deal 244 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: because it has been a live stream in the last 245 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: couple of years. Well, I think firstly the historical piece, 246 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: and then I'll talk about where we are today. If 247 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: you look back at the Daytime Emmys in early nineties, 248 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: you had many more soap operas on the air. That 249 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: was the main focus of the telecast itself. But more importantly, 250 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: you had a greater percentage of daytime programming on the 251 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: networks actually owned by the networks. When a lot of 252 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: those soaps went away on most stations that time got 253 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: replaced by syndicated programming, and so Back in the day, 254 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: the networks were all very motivated to carry the broadcast 255 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: because it was promoting their own programming. Now the bulk 256 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: of the programming that's being honored is not produced by 257 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: those networks. It's being produced by syndicators and so on, 258 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: so there's a little bit less of that interest. In 259 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: the last few years we have I've gone to where 260 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: the audience has been going, by and large, getting more 261 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: and more of their content online. Uh last year in 262 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: streaming on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, in our website, we had 263 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: about two million unique viewers, which is still just a 264 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 1: fraction of what you would see for the Oscars, the 265 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:23,399 Speaker 1: Primetime Emmys, or or Globes, for example, but it also 266 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: made us the only major awards show to actually be 267 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: posting audience growth year over year for the last three years, 268 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: and so we we do see a positive trend in 269 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: that area where fans do want to tune into it 270 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: and are finding it. And I think next year you 271 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 1: will see some new investments from us to make the 272 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: show more accessible and are continuing conversations about if there 273 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: are aspects of the weekend. We're now a three night 274 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: event that can get on broadcast television, and so at 275 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: this point I am very confident that come June, you 276 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: will be able to watch some, if not all, of 277 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 1: the time Emmys on a television set in your living room. 278 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: But but it's still still streamed or do you Are 279 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:16,120 Speaker 1: you saying that you feel like that there's a good 280 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: chance that you will have a more traditional license deal 281 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: with an outlet. We are continuing car stations with networks 282 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: and looking at O T T opportunities. Um, but where 283 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 1: we said right now, all we can say is that 284 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: by June, we're pretty confident you'll be able to watch 285 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,439 Speaker 1: it on the TV sett in your living room. For 286 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: as long as I have been covering television, which is 287 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: a long time, there has been speculation about an eventual 288 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: reunification of the New York based National Academy of Television 289 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: Arts and Sciences and the North Hollywood based Television Academy. 290 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: Do you see any potential for that on the horizon. 291 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: It sounds like the two organizations are working together more, 292 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: which when I first it was the level of hostility 293 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: between these the two groups was. They didn't even try 294 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 1: to hide it. It seems like a much more cordial environment. 295 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: But is there anything that would that you see on 296 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: the horizon that could bring you together or do you 297 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: like the set up as it stands now? Well? I 298 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: don't think anyone is talking right now about the reunification 299 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,439 Speaker 1: of the organizations and sort of that corporate sense, but 300 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: there is certainly a reunification of mission and purpose that 301 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: is well underway and something that is a departure from 302 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: some of those troubles of of the past. I was 303 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: just out in l A last week and spent the 304 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: majority of the time with counterparts from the Television Academy. 305 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 1: We coordinate on this year's Daytime Emmys, in assembling our 306 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: judging panels and so on. We coordinated on some of 307 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: the category adjustments and changes we made in this year's competition, 308 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 1: even making some tweaks to what programs fall under prime 309 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: time or daytime now that the clock isn't as clear 310 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: a predictor of that as it as it used to be, 311 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: and so I think we still have pre clearly defined 312 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: lanes and news, sports, primetime, daytime, etcetera. And there's certainly 313 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: more than enough work to go around. But the fact 314 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: that we are talking and collaborating and marching forward on 315 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: several different initiatives I think is very positive for the 316 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: relationship and for the community. Well, we will stay tuned 317 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 1: on that. Thank you, Thank you so much before I 318 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: let you go tell me, because I do want to 319 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 1: recognize that NATUS does represent a lot of television production 320 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: that happens in local markets from the Midwest to the Southwest. 321 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: And again, as I said, basically, there's maybe a thirty 322 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: mile radius around North Hollywood where you are not allowed 323 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: to give an award. But beyond that, what is in 324 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: the last year, So what what is one of the 325 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: coolest pieces of content, whether it was a news report 326 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: or sports or entertainment, something really that impressed you, that 327 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: came out of the truly grassroots, the local local market. 328 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:23,120 Speaker 1: Anything stand out to you. Oh wow, there is so 329 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: much to to pick from, and I get to go 330 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: to a lot of the chapter galas and their award shows, 331 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,360 Speaker 1: and every time I go to one, I come away saying, 332 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: oh my goodness, that was better than the last and 333 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 1: look at that that segment. I think, rather than one 334 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:46,440 Speaker 1: specific piece, what I will say I continue to be 335 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: reminded of and impressed by is the role our TV 336 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: stations and TV producers. And this is not just local 337 00:21:55,359 --> 00:22:00,080 Speaker 1: but nationalists will play in our communities and day the 338 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: life and on the national level that is the evening 339 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: news and having the soap on during the day, and 340 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 1: the programming we honor is rather intimate because for the 341 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,679 Speaker 1: most part we're honoring is not that lean back with 342 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: the bucket of popcorn on the couch, but it is 343 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: what you have on at the dinner table. It is 344 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: what you have on on the kitchen counter. It's when 345 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: in the morning when you're trying to decide what to 346 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: wear exactly, it's telling you are you going to need 347 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: an umbrella? Are you going to have to evacuate? Are 348 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 1: your kids going to a good school. Most Americans start 349 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: their day watching one of our members and end their 350 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: day watching one of our our members. And so when 351 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:47,400 Speaker 1: I go to our regional Galas. What always impresses me 352 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: is the deep community connection of our members there and 353 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: of these local news organizations where particularly in times of 354 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: christ Us when you see a hurricane or a tornado, 355 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: or not too long ago, I was at our Northwest 356 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: Chapter Emmy's and one of their Golden Silver Circle honorees 357 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: who this is essentially our hall of fame. The Golden 358 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: Slover Circle are for recognizing fifty or twenty five years 359 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: respectively of work in our industry. And one of the 360 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 1: honorees was an anchor from Alaska who had really been 361 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:34,360 Speaker 1: a clear source of comfort and leadership in the community 362 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: in the wake of horrible earthquake up there last year 363 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,360 Speaker 1: that had hit while he and his co anchors were 364 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,439 Speaker 1: on the air. Um and this was an anchor I 365 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: had known as a reporter early in my career down 366 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and we that night 367 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: had this conversation about now is being through now two 368 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: of these experiences of the role of the local broadcaster 369 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: in being that voice of both comfort and factual life 370 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: SA saving information in times of crisis. And so, while 371 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,359 Speaker 1: not one piece specifically, I think that is a theme 372 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: that every time I go to one of our chapters, 373 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 1: I'm reminded by how important that connection to the viewer 374 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 1: in the community is, and the importance of that urgency 375 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: cannot be overstated. That the importance of people turning to 376 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: television when the weather is going crazy, when you don't 377 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: know why sirens are going off on the black the 378 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: fact that people turn to broadcast TV or even radio 379 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: nowadays is still it's still got that that that that 380 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: bond that you have just grown up with. You would 381 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,959 Speaker 1: never turn to Netflix to try to know what you know, 382 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: to know what is blowing through your neighborhood in a 383 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: in a hurricane exactly. And in the world of fake news, disinformation, misinformation, 384 00:24:55,920 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: so and so far um, there is a lot of 385 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,159 Speaker 1: click bait out there that can be fun to click on, 386 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,680 Speaker 1: fund to read, so on and so forth. But when 387 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 1: you need to know do I need to grab the 388 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 1: go bag and get out of my house or pick 389 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 1: up the kids because something horrible has happened, you know 390 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: you want that person who is standing out there on 391 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: your street on the cell phone to the mayor's office 392 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: with FEMA on hold to get you that information you 393 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: need in real real time. A very distinguished gim once 394 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: told me that all television is local, and I think 395 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: that is true. Adam Sharp, thank you so much for 396 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: your time, Thank you, thanks for listening. Be sure to 397 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 1: tune in next week for another episode of Strictly Business.