The Television Academy and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) have started exploratory talks to potentially reunite nearly 50 years after their split. Both organizations, which give out Emmy Awards, announced Monday that their boards have overwhelmingly voted to begin discussions about bringing the two sides together.
The Television Academy, formerly known as ATAS, is based in Los Angeles, while NATAS is headquartered in New York. The split occurred in the 1970s following an acrimonious disagreement over the governance of the Emmy Awards. Since then, the two academies have operated separately, with the Television Academy handling prime-time Emmys and NATAS overseeing daytime, sports, and news Emmys among others.
According to the reports, the talks are in an early exploratory phase and no formal deadline has been set. The move comes after years of industry speculation about a possible merger. Both organizations have expressed optimism about the potential reunification, which could streamline operations and strengthen the Emmy brand. The exact terms and timeline remain uncertain, but the unanimous board votes indicate strong support for the initiative.