HOLLYWOOD -- The Emmy tribe hasn't spoken: As the sequel to "Survivor" bows this week, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members are grappling with how to recognize the explosion of reality in primetime.
Just as "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" generated more respect for the gameshow genre last year, shows like "Survivor" have suddenly made it possible for industry players to utter the phrases "reality TV" and "Emmy Award" in the same sentence.
While there's no question that both of CBS' "Survivor" installments are eligible for an Emmy in September, it's unclear how to classify this year's TV phenom. Is it a gameshow? A non-fiction program? A drama?
A case could probably be made for all three. The same goes for reality skeins such as "The Mole," "Temptation Island," "Making the Band" and "Popstars," as well as upcoming entries "Boot Camp" and "Love Cruise."
The TV Academy's awards committee is expected to broach the subject when it meets Wednesday; this year's Primetime Emmy rules and procedures will be locked in at a board meeting Feb. 7.
With CBS concerned that "Survivor" won't get its due at the Emmy fete, and other shows worried about getting shut out completely, some industry players have started to lobby for an outstanding reality program category.
According to John Leverence, the org's VP of awards, reality category would most likely be an "area award" and include both series and specials. Currently, reality series are eligible for the outstanding nonfiction series category (formerly known as the informational series category), while reality specials fall under outstanding nonfiction special.
Leading the charge, Eye officials sent a letter to the Academy in December suggesting a reality award. Other network execs also favor a new category.
"I think it's ludicrous to have such a big genre as reality and not have a category for it," said Mike Darnell, Fox's exec VP of specials and alternative programming. "It doesn't seem fair. There are reality shows that are deserving -- 'Survivor' is a terrific show. How can you ignore a show that did a 50 share in the summer?"
The Academy's board of governors has so far steered against launching a reality award, instead recommending that skeins like "Survivor" compete in the outstanding nonfiction program category.
But that hasn't sat well with documentary producers, who make up the bulk of the Academy's nonfiction branch. If the rules don't change, "Survivor" would face off against series such as PBS' "American Masters," Bravo's "Inside the Actors Studio" and A&E's "Biography."
There is precedent for nominating a reality series in the nonfiction category: "Cops," for example, has competed there in the past. But many would likely say it's unfair to pit a big-budget, nonscripted and heavily promoted reality series such as "Survivor" up against smaller, drier shows like PBS' "The American Experience."
Plus, fewer reality series and documentary series would have a crack at a trophy if the two groups remained under one category.
Given its hybrid nature, "Survivor" is also eligible for the outstanding gameshow category, as the program awards a $1 million prize. It's up to producers to determine where "Survivor" should be nominated.
But the gameshow award is only handed out at the Daytime Emmy contest; CBS execs have balked at the idea of "Survivor" competing outside of primetime. Last year, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" producers expressed frustration after discovering their show wasn't eligible for a primetime award.
"It's not appropriate for them to fluff us off into (the Daytime Emmys) or the nonfiction category," said "Survivor" exec producer Mark Burnett. "A new category should be invented that would deal with shows like 'Survivor.' "
ATAS rules stipulate that there must be at least 14 eligible programs before a category can be created. Leverence said the Academy has determined that the reality genre already fulfills that requirement.
"There's still a possibility of either the awards committee or the board of governors moving in a direction that would establish a home base for (reality series)," Leverence said.
Reality isn't the only genre in flux at the Academy; the animation division is divided on whether to allow at-home voting to choose nominees and winners (
Daily Variety, Jan. 22).
Burnett, for one, hopes to see the Academy follow the lead of the People's Choice Awards, which nominated "Cops," "Survivor" and "The Real World" in its "favorite reality-based program" category.
"There should be something there at the Academy for recognition of good work," Burnett said.
The TV Guide Awards, meanwhile, nominated a potpourri of shows in its reality series of the year category, including "Survivor," "Crossing Over With John Edward," "Big Brother," "The Crocodile Hunter," "E! True Hollywood Story," "Biography," "The Real World" and "Road Rules."
Contact Michael Schneider at
mike.schneider@variety.com