As blockbuster TV has become a bigger and bigger business for Hollywood, the allure of the Emmys has skyrocketed.
Networks, including streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, are spending a whopping $60 to $80 million on their Emmy campaigns this year, according to Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw, who cites people familiar with the costs. Bloomberg says even one "elaborate DVD mailer" to academy members can run $400,000 or more.
Why is that? It's because that's how people decide what's good TV. “They are the only thing that seems to resonate with the general population,” FX CEO John Landgraf told Bloomberg. “One of HBO’s most important business strategies was to have the most Emmy nominations each year."
Because of that, Emmy campaigns are a yearlong affair, plotted out like a political campaign, with consultants and events. Netflix itself sent out five separate DVD packages this year, Bloomberg reports.
Netflix scored 54 nominations this year, good enough for third place, but behind HBO (94) and FX (56). Netflix's 59% increase from last years nominations haul was also the highest percentage change of any network. FX fared well with a 47% increase, as did Amazon, with a 33% increase (though it only got 16 nominations). HBO, though it had the most nominations, saw a decrease of 25%.
This is good news for Netflix, as it shows that its big push for original content is starting to bear fruit. Netflix's original monster hit, "House of Cards," picked up a slew of nominations, as did docuseries standout "Making a Murderer" and comedies "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Master of None."
But Netflix is still looking for that elusive win for best drama or comedy. The Emmy's are Sunday, September 18th, at 8pm ET.
Here is a chart that shows the number of nominations by network:
SEE ALSO: Netflix saw the biggest jump in Emmy nominations this year out of any of its major rivals
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