The Directors Guild of America has introduced new awards for variety, news, talk and sports programming, and released the timetable for next January's DGA Awards.
The new categories are Variety/Talk/News/Sports — Regularly Scheduled Programming, which will include variety shows like "American Idol" and "Saturday Night Live," talk shows, news broadcasts and sports programs, and Variety/Talk/News/Sorts — Specials, which includes awards shows and other variety specials, news specials such as a presidential inauguration, and specific sporting events such as the Super Bowl or World Series.
The guild has also ruled that internet-based programming will be eligible for its awards, opening the gates for works like Netflix's "House of Cards" to compete with other television series for the top award in eight television categories.
The separate DGA Awards category for daytime serials was eliminated because of a lack of entries. Serials will now be eligible in the Dramatic Series category.
The changes, which were approved by the DGA's National Board of Directors last week, mark the first since the DGA introduced an award for reality television in 2005.
The timeline:
FEATURE FILM AWARD
Online voting for Feature Film Nominations opens: Dec. 3, 2013
Deadline to vote online for Feature Film Nominations: Jan. 6, 2014
Announce Five Feature Film Nominees: Jan. 7
Online voting for Feature Film Award opens: Jan. 8
Membership Screening of Five Nominated Feature Films: Jan. 13-17
Deadline to vote online for Feature Film Award: Jan. 24
TELEVISION AWARDS
Entry Forms for TV & Commercials available online: Oct. 14
Deadline for Submitting Television and Commercials entries: Dec. 9
Online voting for Television Nominations opens: Dec. 16
Deadline to vote online for Television Nominations: Jan. 7
Announce all Television and Commercial Nominees: Jan. 9
DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Entry Form for Documentary available online: Sept. 9
Email Doc Entry Forms to all Theatrical Distributors, Broadcast Networks and past entrants: Sept. 9
Documentary Entry Forms and DVD Submissions
For Doc. entries with a theatrical release or broadcast during the period of Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, the deadline is: Friday, Oct. 4
For Doc. entries with a theatrical release or broadcast during the period of Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2013, the deadline is: Nov. 1
Announce Documentary Nominees Jan. 13
66th ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER
Mail Dinner Reservation Forms: Dec. 5
Deadline for Returning All Dinner Reservation Forms: Jan. 17
DGA Awards Dinner: Jan. 25, 2014, Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
