Emmy votes 'Survivors' as one
Eye asked for skeins to be judged independently
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Eye last month asked the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to consider the two seasons of its Mark Burnett-produced reality phenom as individual programs in the newly created Emmy category of non-fiction programming (special class.)
In a letter to ATAS VP John Leverence, CBS senior VP for communications Chris Ender suggested, "Each of these two shows stands on its own and should be judged independently."
Among the reasons cited by Ender: Both programs had distinct beginnings and ends; each show has a different cast of 16 contestants; setting for shows is different, as are the actual sets constructed for the tribal council portion of each show; and the production staffs vary from season to season.
Ender also pointed to the example of "Roots" and "Roots: The Next Generation," the landmark 1970s ABC minis honored as outstanding limited series. "If (the two minis) had aired the same year, would they have been judged separately or as the same program?" Ender asked.
CBS had another reason to push for the dual entries: Had the Academy allowed both "Survivors" to compete, the Eye stood to win not one, but two Emmys in the category, bolstering its overall tally.
That's because the nonfiction programming (special class) category is an "area award," meaning programs don't compete against each other but receive a statuette if two-thirds of the category's judges approve.
Burnett and company might have walked home with two trophies, for both "Survivor" and "Survivor: The Australian Outback." But, under the clarification issued by the Academy, that won't happen.
The Academy's Board of Governors took up the Eye's request last week at a regularly scheduled meeting -- and decided not to allow the two seasons of "Survivor" to be considered as distinct programs.
Leverence said the new category's definition of "series" mandates that the two "Survivors" are actually two seasons of the same show: "Series are defined as multiple episodes in which themes, storyline and main characters are presented under the same title and have continuity of production supervision," he said.
"Survivor" is expected to compete in the category with other reality series that culminate with a cash prize winner, such as "Big Brother" and "Boot Camp."
Individual achievement trophies also aren't affected by the clarification, since individuals are nominated on an episodic basis, not by an entire body of work.
Leverence said it took little time for the Academy board to come to a verdict.
"It was not much of a discussion," he said. "Not a lot of drama, just quick and businesslike."
Ender accepted the Academy's verdict. "We lobbied. They listened. We lost," he said. "Hopefully, they'll revisit the issue in the near future."
