Paley Center Sets Date for Its First Anti-Emmys Awards Show: May 2012

Show will coincide with television upfronts

The Emmys' new competitor has marked its date in the sand.

The Paley Center for Media — formed in March to explore opportunities to create an awards alternative to the Emmys, reportedly encompassing all dayparts and genres — has scheduled its first awards program for May 2012 in New York City, the organization announced on Wednesday.

The May date in New York was selected to coincide with the annual television upfront presentations. The Paley Center also intends to merge its annual New York gala fundraising event with the 2012 awards show to create a single televised celebration.

The committee was formed to "explore the opportunities that we believe exist to create an awards program or franchise of programs,” Pat Mitchell, president-CEO of the Paley Center for Media, said in a statement last March.

The Paley Center had met with multiple networks to gauge their interest in airing such a show.

Cable's dominating Emmy run has led to a great deal of resentment among the networks, who feel their own programs are being ignored. Even though there is speculation that the networks will renew their contract to air the Television Academy's annual awards show, the time could be ripe for the Paley Center to make its move. That said, past Emmy-alternatives such as the TV Guide Awards and the American Television Awards have not been able to mount a formidable challenge to the show.

The Paley Center may also introduce one or more of its new awards at its 2011 gala fundraiser.

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