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NATAS Launches ‘The Emmys’ App; President and CEO, Adam Sharp Previews New Content and Viewing Platform

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: NATAS

There is a new app for daytime fans to enjoy! On Thursday,The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced the launch of a dedicated online viewing platform for the Emmy Awards ceremonies it produces.

Powered by Vimeo’s leading over-the-top (OTT) technology, the platform will make the National Academy’s Emmy programming available on nearly every major web browser, mobile device, and “set top” streaming device.

Photo: NATAS

The new platform will also feature exclusive “Behind the Emmy” interviews, memorable moments from past Emmy ceremonies, historical archives, and events from the National Academy’s 19 regional chapters.

Kathleen Barrett, SVP, Enterprise, Vimeo shared on this venture with NATAS: “More than ever before, virtual experiences have become a powerful component of our daily lives. We’re proud to partner with NATAS and to offer Vimeo’s best-in-class streaming technology, seamless user experience, and uncompromising support to the Emmys’ many fans. Now global audiences can unlock the awards content they know and love without missing a beat.”

All programming will be viewable on the web at watch.theemmys.tv Apps are available for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones and tablets, Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku by searching for “The Emmys” in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Roku Channel Store, or Amazon FireTV Appstore. Users may download content for offline viewing on iOS and Android and sync watchlists across multiple device

The following upcoming ceremonies will be available on the app and viewing platform: The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards -Digital Dramas Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 9 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT, The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards – Children’s, Lifestyle, & Animation Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 8 p.m. EDT / 5 p.m. PDT, The 41st Annual Sports Emmy Awards Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 8 p.m. EDT / 5 p.m. PDT, and The 41st Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards – September 2020.

Michael Fairman TV chatted with NATAS President and CEO, Adam Sharp to glean more insight and get more details on this exciting step-forward to house Daytime Emmys of the past, present and future and more.   Here’s what he shared below on the organization’s latest endeavor.

Photo: NATAS

You simply called the name of the app, “The Emmys” which will make it easy for users to search, find and download, etc.  What can you say about the features contained within it and on it?

ADAM:  You will be able to watch from any platform, and actually, by creating a profile, sync from across those platforms.  For instance, you can start watching something on your phone and finish watching it on your Apple TV.  You can start building a playlist as we start putting more content in it.  On launch, the focus is going to be on these upcoming live shows, but we are going to be building out a back catalogue – all of last year’s shows are going to be in there.  We hope to build that out to be a complete archive of our ceremonies.  We will have clips and highlights from past shows; we will be building out “Digital Originals,” that Behind the Emmy franchise if you will, and building out interviews.  Eventually, you will be able to watch all 19 regional and local Emmy ceremonies from around the country on the app as well.

It’s such a great idea to finally have a centralized place where people can watch past Emmy moments and ceremonies, instead of having to go fetching around You Tube to watch, for instance, A Martinez’ 1990 win for Lead Actor for Santa Barbara

ADAM:  That’s where, I think, we really have an opportunity when doing interviews with past winners on their Emmy-winning moments and more in our Behind the Emmy segments.   You know, even The Bold and the Beautiful at 33 is the young one on the block in soaps, that so many of the performers today have memories of a character or a performer who their parents loved, who their mother loved, that they watched on that when they came home from school, who inspired them to go into this field of television.  So, to talk about that inspiration and then to be able to recognize that is a great opportunity for us. Certainly as you saw in the 47th annual Daytime Emmys telecast we had the countdown of top moments from the past, and you got a feel for some of that rich history that we are able to celebrate.

 Is “The Emmys” app available everywhere or just domestically?  Could somebody who is out of the US access it?

ADAM:  It is available everywhere.  Now, certainly when it comes to rights and clearances, our focus is globally, but if there are compromises to be made, the platform does allow us to restrict things to the US, or elsewhere, on a as-needed basis.

How did the idea come up of “Let’s do an Emmy app”? It is forward and current thinking in terms of the world we live in today with social media, phones, and tablets; where many ingest most of their information and content these days.

ADAM:  It was very much a priority since I came to NATAS.  In many ways, it was a response to the fan disappointment in that the Daytime Emmys had not having been on television for many years, and while we did have it streaming online the last several years, and while there are ways to get that live Twitter video, or that Facebook video, or the YouTube video on your TV, it was certainly not as easy as it will be now by just launching the app, and it’s there for you.   We are the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, our honors should be able to be viewed on that TV screen in the corner of your living room even though television has changed over the years, and we are now consuming it on our phones and other devices. It all started there in the living room, and that’s where we belong.  Even as this was coming together last year, the question was always, asked “When are you coming back on television?” and the answer was always a very coy, “Hundred percent confident that you will be able to watch the 2020 Daytime Emmys on the TV in your home.”  And nobody every called me on it! (Laughs)  When I gave the answer, I didn’t know what path was going to get us there.  By the fall, we were literally going back and forth on one hand with CBS and the other hand with Vimeo, which was our partner in building out the OTT platform.  It was a fortunate result that we wound up achieving both, but I think that speaks to the regrowth of Daytime, but also the fact that television is no longer a single thing.  When you look at the growth of the Daytime Emmy competition in particular, this year was the biggest competition in terms of the number of entries, beating last year’s record by almost double digits, and a lot of that growth was from streaming content.  There is a reason why Netflix and Amazon are right there in the top 3 most nominated networks; there is a reason why Apple TV and Hulu are already making waves in the community.  So, to have this model now where fans of the traditional broadcast soaps, who are used to watching it on their broadcast networks, or the networks’ own OTT experience, like CBS All Access, I think will be great for them.  The Emmys have been around for over 70 years.  We survived black and white, we’ve survived HD, and we’ve survived lots of things because as the definition of television changed, we changed with it.

So, what do you think about the new app and viewing platform for the Daytime Emmys?  Excited to see the kind of content that NATAS intends to populate it with including past shows, moments, interviews, and the current Emmy ceremonies? Comment below.

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hmmm well… in the play store I found it under “Television Academy Viewing Platform”

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‘Santa Barbara’ Favorites A Martinez and Marcy Walker, ‘Cruz and Eden’ Reunion Chat, On Demand Replay Available for Half Price (Exclusive)

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The love was felt around the world during the Sunday, June 7 livestream conversation featuring enduring Santa Barbara Daytime Emmy winners, A Martinez and Marcy Walker who played Cruz Castillo and Eden Capwell on the iconic NBC soap opera. The popular duo reunited for this special one-day only special event honoring their most memorable of daytime roles.

Santa Barbara was globally a hit, and nothing illustrated that more than having attendees from 20 countries and over four continents participate in and watch the live chat moderated by Melissa Braverman, the author of Santa Barbara: The Complete Story due out this fall.

While many were not able to purchase the initial livestream when the ticket costs were revealed to be $100,  A Martinez previously clarified the event was to also raise money for Walker, who is currently facing a very serious health situation, now there is a way to catch the replay at half the price.

Courtesy: MBraverman

HOW YOU CAN STILL CATCH A AND MARCY’S LIVESTREAM

Michael Fairman TV can share exclusively that if you missed the chance to see and listen to what A and Marcy had to say, On demand access is available at the event link for a half price at $50 (guests can contribute up to $100 if they so chose). Like the livestream, 100% of On demand sales for the recording will be available for a limited time only, and also go toward Marcy’s medical expenses.

There was plenty of laughter, tears, and reminiscing through the the two and a half hour chat which included: some memorable footage and images from the love story of Cruz and Eden. At one point, Marcy reflected on the enduring impact and affection for Cruz and Eden. “You hope that whatever you do in this life, that you’ll make an impact of some kind,” expressed Walker. “It doesn’t have to necessarily be wrapped up in success or career or anything like that, but I think we all want desperately to feel like our time here blessed someone. To hear that somebody’s life was even a moment better because of what we did is a massive gift.

Photo: NBC

A AND MARCY’S DESIRE TO WORK TOGETHER AGAIN

In a moment that brought joy to those in attendance, A and Marcy both expressed a sincere hope and desire that one day they can work together again. Martinez explained, “There’s more avenues to pursue now than there have ever been. I would say just keep a good thought for it. I’ve been holding it for decades, and I fully intend to do whatever I can to make it happen. We’re engaged in trying to make it happen. And you know, we’ll see. I know we both want to do it.” Marcy simply nodded and responded “Amen.”

Melissa Braverman shared with Michael Fairman TV, her sentiments on hosting the Santa Barbara favorites. “Seeing A and Marcy together again, even virtually, was an absolute gift. It instantly reminded all of us why we fell so hard for Cruz and Eden in the first place. Their undeniable chemistry leaped off the screen and straight back into our hearts, proving that the magic they created all those years ago hasn’t faded one bit. Sharing in equal parts laughter and tears felt like catching up with old friends. It just meant the world to see them side-by-side again and to see how this incredible fandom showed up for Marcy during such an important time for her.”

So, if you attended the livestream chat with A Martinez and Marcy Walker, what did you enjoy hearing about the most? Now the tickets have dropped to watch the replay On Demand, would you want to check it out? Let us know via the comment section below.

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‘Days of Our Lives’ Officially Confirms Ryan Quan Returning as Co-Head Writer Beginning in July

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There is definitely a shake-up going down at the writing team at Peacock’s Days of Our Lives. Now, the long-running soap opera has confirmed, what has been previously reported, that current General Hospital breakdown writer, Ryan Quan is heading back to his old stomping grounds in Salem. This time as the series co-head writer.

The appointment of Quan comes with the official news that current co-head writer, Paula Cwikly, who was previously rumored to be departing the series, is not. She is staying with the soap opera and transitioning to a consultant role with the show. Now, Quan will join current co-head writer, Jeanne Marie Ford to steer the ship for the characters on the canvas.

On Wednesday, TV Insider, reported the official confirmation and that Quan will return to DAYS next month in July. In a statement to the outlet, executive producer, Ken Corday expressed, ‘We are lucky to have Ryan back in the fold. There are very few people who have such a deep knowledge and understanding of our show’s history. Stay tuned!”

Photo: JPI

THE FUTURE OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Since Days of our Lives unusual production schedule tapes ten-months ahead of air, the new creative team’s vision led by Quan and Jeanne Marie Ford are not expected to stream on Peacock until mid-2027.

Days of Our Lives is currently renewed through its 63rd season. The former NBC soap opera which transitioned to Peacock in September of 2022, celebrate its 60th anniversary in November of 2025.

The writing regime change comes after NBCUniversal Media Chairman Matt Strauss revealed that Peacock is expected to turn a profit for the first time in the current quarter, punctuating their investment with the enduring soap opera on its platform.

As for Quan, his knowledge of Salem is tremendous. Ryan joined Days of Our Lives as a writer’s assistant in 2007 after some time over at Passions. He then spent two decades and held every position on the writing team where he previously served as co-head writer from 2016-17 alongside Dena Higley.

Later, when Ron Carlivati took over as head writer for 7 years in 2017, Quan became his right-hand man and main story consultant for his deep knowledge of the history and the legacy of the show. After Carlivati exited the show in 2024, General Hospital hired Quan in 2025.

So, what do you think about DAYS making it official with Ryan Quan as the new co-head writer of the series alongside Jeanne Marie Ford. What do you think about the fact we won’t see the changes on-screen till 2027? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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ABC Announces ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Texas Spin-Off Gets Straight-to-Series Order

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In a surprise move, coming a week after ABC unveiled its 2026-2027 fall television schedule, Grey’s Anatomy is getting a new spinoff co-created by the original series’ creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes.

The new untitled medical drama will be written and executive produced by Rhimes and Grey’s Anatomy showrunner/executive producer Meg Marinis under the Shondaland and 20th Television umbrella. In addition, long-running ‘Grey’s’ star Ellen Pompeo will also serve as an EP of the spinoff.

The upcoming new series will debut midseason in 2027. This will be the first of Grey’s franchise not set in urban city or West Coast locale. According to Deadline, the new “edgy drama is about a team at a rural West Texas medical center — the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.”

Photo: ABC

In a statement, Marinis shared, “I am incredibly excited to expand the Grey’s Anatomy universe. This opportunity will bring new characters and stories to life that will embody the same heart, emotion and connection audiences have loved from Grey’s for more than two decades — all set in my home state of Texas. I am so grateful to Shonda Rhimes for creating this dynamic world and feel so fortunate that I get to be a part of it.”

A NEW GROUP OF DOCTORS IN RURAL TEXAS

The Texas spinoff will feature a a new group of doctors, but there will be some connection to the OG Grey’s Anatomy and possibly to Debbie Allen’s character of Catherine Fox. The amount of episodes in the series order has not yet been determined. Previous Grey’s Anatomy spinoffs were the defunct Station 19 and Private Practice.

Previously, Grey’s Anatomy was renewed for its upcoming 23rd season while the amount of episodes is unclear.  The last two seasons the series produced 18 episodes.

It should also be noted, Grey’s Anatomy and the Texas spinoff would likely share a time period, which requires limited-run orders for both with Grey’s premiering in the fall, followed by the spinoff on the midseason programming block.

So, what do you think about a Texas spinoff of Grey’s Anatomy coming in 2027? Who would you like to see from daytime or primetime as some of the featured roles as new doctors? Put on your casting directors hat and let us know via the comment section below.

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