2008–2009 Primetime Emmy® Awards Nominations (press release)

The list came out about 2 weeks ago (that’s how behind I feel) and I’ve been wanting to give some attention to the Daytime Emmy Awards.  Here’s the press release, and I’ll create another post to talk about a few things.

~ifelicious  🙄

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2009

61^st Primetime Emmy® Awards Airs Live September 20 on CBS

North Hollywood, CA – Nominations for the 61st Primetime Emmy® Awards, covering the period of June 1, 2008 through May 31, 2009, were announced today by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences from the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre, North Hollywood, California. The Television Academy’s Chairman of the Board & CEO John Shaffner presided, assisted by Chandra Wilson and Jim Parsons.

Click here for the complete list of Primetime Emmy nominations, more facts, figures and additional information.

On Sunday, September 20 at 8:00 pm (ET/PT) the telecast awarding Primetime Emmys will be presented before a black-tie audience and televised by the CBS Television Network from the NOKIA Theatre LA Live. This year’s Emmy telecast will be executive-produced by Don Mischer and directed by Glenn Weiss.  Neil Patrick Harris will host.  The Television Academy’s Governors Ball will follow the telecast at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Of the eighty-three nominations for comedy and drama programs as well as lead, supporting and guest performers, forty-one were not included among last year’s nominees — a forty-nine percent change from last year’s roster of nominees in these fourteen categories.  Forty-nine (sixty-nine percent) were broadcast network nominations (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) and thirty-four (thirty-one percent) were cable network nominations.

First-time nominees in drama series programs included Big Love and Breaking Bad. (Breaking Bad joined Damages and Mad Men – first nominated last year – as a basic cable series in the drama series program category.) First-time nominees in comedy series programs included Flight of the Conchords, How I Met Your Mother and Family Guy (which had a prior nomination in the Animated Program category).

Newcomers (not nominated last year) in the comedy series performer categories included (leads) Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory, Jemaine Clement in Flight of the Conchords, Toni Collette in United States of Tara, and Sarah Silverman in The Sarah Silverman Program; (supports) Tracy Morgan in 30 Rock, Jack McBrayer in 30 Rock, Kristin Wiig in Saturday Night Live, Jane Krakowski in 30 Rock, and Elizabeth Perkins in Weeds; (guests)  Beau Bridges in Desperate Housewives, Justin Timberlake in Saturday Night Live, Steve Martin in 30 Rock, Jon Hamm in 30 Rock, Alan Alda in 30 Rock, Christine Baranski in The Big Bang Theory, Gena Rowlands in Monk, Betty White in My Name Is Earl, Tina Fey in Saturday Night Live, and Jennifer Anniston in 30 Rock.

Newcomers (not nominated last year) in the drama series performer categories include (lead) Simon Baker in The Mentalist; (supports) Elizabeth Moss in Mad Men, Christian Clemenson in Boston Legal, Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad, William Hurt in Damages, Rose Byrne in Damages, Hope Davis in In Treatment and Cherry Jones in 24; (guests) Edward Asner in CSI: NY, Ted Danson in Damages, Jimmy Smits in Dexter, Ernest Borgnine in ER, Michael J. Fox in Rescue Me, Sharon Lawrence in Grey’s Anatomy, Brenda Blethyn in Law & Order: SVU, Carol Burnett in Law & Order: SVU, and CCH Pounder in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

Additional first-time nominees in Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie are Kevin Bacon in Taking Chance, Kevin Kline in Cyrano De Bergerac (Great Performances) and Brendan Gleeson in Into the Storm.  Additional first-time nominees in Supporting Actor/Actress in a Miniseries or Movie are Ken Howard for Grey Gardens, Tom Courtenay for Little Dorrit, Jeanne Tripplehorn for Grey Gardens and Shohreh Aghdashloo for House of Saddam.

On Saturday, September 12, also at the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, Primetime awards “categories” (a single award) and “areas” (possibility of one, more than one or no award) will be handed out at the black-tie Primetime Creative Arts Awards, chaired and executive-produced by Lee Miller and Steve Venezia with Spike Jones, Jr. producing and Chris Donovan directing. Kathy Griffin will host. The awards presentation will be televised the following weekend on E! Entertainment Television.

A total of 509 separate nominations in categories and areas, compiled by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP, were distributed as follows:

Additional awards may also be given for the two “juried areas” (no nominations): Costumes for a Variety or Music Program and Individual Achievement in Animation. Additional awards may also be given for Engineering Development and the Governors Award. These awards, if any, will be announced later this month.

Nomination rosters will be finalized during the period July 16 to July 30, 2009.  The rosters may be revised in cases where names or titles are incorrect, or appeals for changes—including the addition or removal of names—are approved by the Primetime Awards Committee. Producer eligibility is based on both title and function.  A review of title and function will be conducted by the Producers Peer Group, and the nominees in the program categories will be announced mid-August.

Within this press release you will find a disparate number of nominations in some categories.  What follows is a brief description of three reasons why disparities can occur.

Reason #1:  The One Third Rule

The number of nominations will not exceed one third the number of the category or area entries, with the understanding that there will always be a minimum of two nominations per category or area.  For example, there were seven miniseries entries and hence no more than two nominations.

Reason #2:  Ties for the ideal number of nominations

In the case of ties for the ideal number of nominations in a category, e.g., five in most categories, six in the major drama and comedy series categories, the closest number to five will prevail, unless there are fewer than three or more than seven nominations, in which case the Primetime Awards Committee will determine the number of nominations.  For example, if there is a two-way tie for fifth place, the choice will be four or six.  We will take six for the sake of inclusion.  But if we have a three-way tie for fifth place, and the choice is four or seven, we will take four, because it is closer to the ideal number of five.

Reason #3:  The Two Percent Rule

If the next highest vote-getter to the ideal number of nominations in a category is within two percent, it is included as a nomination.

Download Complete Nominations and More

To see the complete list of Primetime Emmy nominations, more facts, figures and additional information, click here.

Nominations were made by active Academy members who voted for programs and other peer categories of their expertise. Peer panels made up of active Academy members will screen nominations during the month of July and August and, in secret ballot, select the Primetime Emmy winners.

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About the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 just one month after network television was born. It is a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry.

In addition to recognizing outstanding programming through its Emmy® Award, the Television Academy publishes Emmy® Magazine and stages many industry-related programs, services and year-round events for the television community.

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See also my accompanying post “2008–2009 Primetime Emmy® Awards Nominations (commentary)”