[KoOlMaNsEaN]

LOS ANGELES - When cable channel HBO tried to woo the Emmy Awards away two years ago, the networks fought back and won. Network executives could be rethinking the victory in light of the poor ratings posted by Sunday's ceremony, watched by the smallest audience since 1990.



Adding insult to injury: HBO claimed many of the awards, including a record 11 trophies for the miniseries "Angels in America" and a best drama series Emmy for "The Sopranos" — the first cable drama to win in the category.



HBO dominated with 32 awards. Fox collected 10, followed by NBC with 8, ABC and PBS with seven each and CBS — the most-watched network — with two.



Awards show tend to draw bigger audiences when widely popular shows are up for honors. The leading nominees Sunday couldn't claim that status since they air on a premium cable channel reaching about a third of the nation's TV homes.



"That `Angels' show that won all those awards — I said, `Huh, what's that?'" viewer Janina Perez, who has satellite TV but doesn't subscribe to HBO, said Monday.



An estimated 14 million viewers watched the 56th annual prime-time Emmys, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research figures Monday. Final numbers are expected Tuesday.



If the tally holds, it would represent the smallest audience for the Emmys since 12.3 million saw it in 1990 on Fox — a fledgling network that many people weren't in the habit of watching.



The latest figures mark a 22 percent drop from the 17.9 million viewers who watched last year's Emmys on Fox. Ratings dropped even further — by 34 percent — among viewers aged 18 to 49, the demographic favored by advertisers.



Before the ceremony, one network executive had expressed concern about the effect of cable TV, which increasingly has cut into broadcast viewership, on the Emmys.



"The fragmentation of the audience and the celebration of programming that has been seen by virtually no one" is a key factor in Emmy ratings, said Fox network Executive Vice President Preston Beckman.



Intended as a kickoff for the opening of the broadcast networks' fall TV season, the awards largely served as a promotion for HBO and a reminder of the major network shows that ended last year, including "Friends" and "Frasier."



One broadcast beneficiary of the awards could be Fox's "Arrested Development," a critically acclaimed comedy that was renewed for a second year despite low ratings. It won as best comedy series.



The Emmys are sticking with broadcasters for some time to come.

ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, which air the awards in rotation, renewed their contract with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for eight years after countering HBO's 2002 bid.

[MAURO]

yesteday we saw in Argentina the Emmys live

great triumphs for Allison Janney and Cynthia Nixon

a surprise: James Spader -Martin SHEEN really deserves it once

[Mase]

I enjoyed them...

[KoOlMaNsEaN]

i liked it when they showed all of the series finales

[Benny]

Oh well props to Drea de Matteo anyway, she deserved her emmy 100%, her role in the Sopranos was unforgettable.

[Helen Lawson]

They didn't have Joan Rivers as the lead-in. That killed the ratings. They need to bring Joan back.

[switz]

Originally Posted by Benny

Oh well props to Drea de Matteo anyway, she deserved her emmy 100%, her role in the Sopranos was unforgettable.

yeah her character really got beefed up in the last 2 series. sad that she mad the mistake of going on that "joey" show after playing such a great character in one of the best shows ever. people will always view her as andriana. although i guess those who watch joey probably don't watch the sopranos and vice versa.

[Joan Rivers]

Originally Posted by Helen Lawson

They didn't have Joan Rivers as the lead-in. That killed the ratings. They need to bring Joan back.

Exactly Hel. People never watched the Emmys for the actual Emmys! They watched for me and then stayed on for whatever awards were on after me. So basically Star Jones killed the Emmys this year.

[DutchieGirl]

hahaha F*** Fox! Hope they get bit in the ass with this! Maybe they'll stop cancelling all my fave shows!

[Cam'ron Giles]

Originally Posted by inkyfan

hahaha F*** Fox! Hope they get bit in the ass with this! Maybe they'll stop cancelling all my fave shows!

It was'nt on Fox...:retard:

[Sally Struthers]

I think the boycott I was leading in protest of Joan not being allowed on the red carpet had something to do with the ratings drop as well. But I agree Joan not being the lead in was the ultimate contributer to the ratings slide.

[Neely OHara]

Joanie’s absence was definitely a factor but the real problem is that today's shows suck. There isn’t a Holmes & Yoyo or Mr. T and Tina in the bunch. Well, at least nothing of that calibre.