Week of Sept. 3: Emmy Suggestion Reflects How Networks Have Fallen in Prestige Programming

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Now that the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is looking for a new contract for the televising of the Emmy Awards, there are some downright goofy suggestions for future telecasts. The goofiest would split up the programming awards between commercial and cable television. Cable, which does most movies and miniseries, would televise those categories.

It says a lot about the mess network television has become. Remember when movies and miniseries used to be part of the prestige claims for networks? These days, with rare exceptions in hour-long series, CBS, NBC and ABC (Never mind Fox, which never aspired to the prestigious) are the equivalent of fast-food restaurants - filling and sometimes enjoyable, but hardly ever nourishing.

On the other hand, cable networks such as HBO are at the other end of the spectrum - like dinner at Elaine's, which is certainly fancy, but not affordable by everyone.

That leaves PBS, whose development of programming depends on funding from everywhere. PBS is a class act, of course, but even its long-form programming depends on the kindness of friends on both sides of the Atlantic.

The last time a commercial network movie was nominated for an Emmy was in 2008, when ABC's "A Raisin In the Sun" was tapped. The last time a network movie won an Emmy was in 2000, when the Oprah Winfrey-produced "Tuesdays With Morrie" took the statue, also for ABC. Only a handful have been nominated since 1994, when four of the five nominees were from networks (but interestingly, the HBO-produced "And the Band Played On" won that year).

As for miniseries, PBS is the only network that has seen Emmy nominations and glory since 2005, when CBS' "Elvis" was one of the nominees. ABC's "Anne Frank" was the last commercial-network miniseries to win, in 2001. The last time all miniseries nominees did not include a cable entry was 1997.

It's depressing for those who love the history of commercial television and know how good it was when it scaled the peaks. While much of what's produced on cable is excellent, it doesn't transform the landscape because it's not available to the entire television audience.

What if "Roots" had been telecast on HBO, instead of on ABC? It still would have won awards, but it wouldn't have been the revolutionary program it was, not just for the craft of television, but also for society.

One of the reasons network television is in so much trouble is that it's gotten out of the creativity business to save money. Viewers still want their imaginations stirred. But if commercial networks don't do it, they'll go elsewhere. Splitting up the Emmys won't help that. It will only reflect how far the mighty have fallen.

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