TV Academy to Distribute Chromecast Devices to Emmy Voters

With the aim of enhancing the viewing experience of this year’s Emmy-nominated content, the Television Academy inked a deal with Google to distribute Chromecast devices to all of the Academy’s eligible voting members. This new initiative also prompts a rule change, enabling voting members to vote for all major program categories as well as those professional categories pertinent to their expertise. In addition to widening the voting, the new rule means an end to the Academy’s “blue ribbon” panels.

Google_ChromecastThe multi-year deal is part of the Academy’s move to use the latest technologies to enhance viewing and voting by its members for the Emmy Awards. The Academy moved to online voting this year and, according to the Television Academy’s website, it is also launching a members-only, online viewing platform to enable digital screening.

Members will be able to view screeners on this members-only site or stream content from the Academy’s mobile apps and viewing websites via the thumb-sized, media-streaming Chromecast devices.

The move to digital screeners has been building steam. The Hollywood Reporter notes that many networks have also opted for digital delivery of screeners including, most recently, HBO.

“This multi-year commitment with Google will provide a superior experience for viewing Emmy-nominated content,” says TV Academy President/COO Maury McIntyre. “It also gives our members a great way to view programming across their devices year-round.”

As a side bonus, the new viewing paradigm will have a “green” impact, eliminating the tremendous numbers of DVDs and ancillary printed materials mailed to the Academy’s list of eligible voters every year.

The TV Academy will announce its 2015 nominees on July 16.

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