Primetime Emmys to Merge Best TV Movie, Miniseries Categories

Will become one six-nominee category

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/24/2011 3:48:13 PM

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced on Thursday it will combine the categories for Outstanding Miniseries with Outstanding Made for Television Movie, into one six-nominee category.

Emmy Awards rules stipulates that any category that fails to meet the required number of five nominees for two consecutive years is subject to deletion or consolidation.

As a result, this year's nominees will be comprised of the top six vote-getters among all the entries after the first round of balloting. Miniseries will be allowed to be entered in the Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music category.

The change brings the award in line with all of the other miniseries and made for television movie categories, including lead actor and actress, which are already in one combined category. This change also conforms the Emmy Awards with WGA, DGA and PGA Awards.

The Cinematography competition also received a change as the category breakdown switched from half-hour and one hour to multi-camera and single-camera.