Cable Networks Garner 41 Total Primetime Emmy Awards
Washington, D.C. -- Increased investments in programming by cable networks continue to draw the acclaim of both viewers and critics with cable programming winning 41 Primetime Emmy Awards and cable viewership surpassing broadcast networks for the first time during the 2001/2002 TV season.
“Cable’s high-quality programming has moved beyond seeking recognition by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences just through nominations. Cable’s success now is measured by Emmy Award victories,” said Jill Luckett, NCTA vice president of Program Network Policy. “Television viewers, which now turn to cable programming more than broadcast fare, are looking to cable for the best in television programming.”
Five cable networks received 11 Primetime Emmy Awards from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS) during the 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards televised last night from the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. HBO received seven awards; A&E, FX, Showtime, and TNT each picked up one. Nominations/winners for the awards were from the period of June 1, 2001 through May 31, 2002.
FX’s first Emmy Award was also a cable first: Michael Chiklis’ portrayal of Detective Vic Mackey garnered the first Emmy for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” for an ad-supported basic cable network.
Additionally, HBO received the most Creative Arts Emmy Awards (16) of any cable or broadcast network during a Saturday, September 14, awards ceremony. A&E received five, Discovery received four, TNT garnered two, while MTV, Nickelodeon and Showtime each picked up one.
“The continuation of cable network success at the Emmys is the result of increased investment by cable programmers to bring viewers high-quality news, sports, and entertainment,” Luckett added. “Cable’s increased programming investments have resulted in original, compelling and high-quality content that attracts more viewers than broadcast networks.”
Network programming expenditures by both ad-supported and premium networks totaled $9.039 billion in 2001, a 10.7% increase over the previous year, according to data from Kagan World Media. That investment has resulted in increased viewership of cable services. TV Households turned into more hours of ad-supported cable television than any other source of TV programming during the 2001/2002 TV season, according to Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data.
By season’s end, U.S. homes spent an average of 26.5 hours per week tuned into ad-supported cable networks compared to 24.4 for all broadcast network affiliates combined. The television season before, the roles were reversed with 24.4 cable hours, versus 26.2 collective hours for all broadcast networks.
NCTA is the principal trade association of the cable television industry in the United States. NCTA represents cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks, as well as equipment suppliers and providers of other services to the cable industry.
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