EMMY AWARDS - EMMY DOES AN ABOUT-FACE

EMMY DOES AN ABOUT-FACE

With virtually every major union in Hollywood lined up in opposition to its plan to pretape some of the Emmy awards for next month's 61st annual telecast, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences caved in to the pressure Wednesday and announced that all 28 award presentations will be telecast live. In a statement, the academy said that it had decided to do so in order to "mend relationships within the television community." Academy chairman John Shaffner said the decision would also allow the telecast's producer, Don Mischer, "to focus his full attention on producing the creative elements in the telecast." Critics have suggested that it was indeed the lack of creative material -- rather than the hugs and walks-down-the-aisle -- that has eroded ratings for the annual telecast, which this year will be hosted by How I Met Your Mother costar Neil Patrick Harris.

13/08/2009