LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The two U.S. organizations that operate independently to hand out the prime time Emmys and the daytime and sports Emmys have ended a decades-long rivalry.
The Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have agreed to work together more closely in the future on marketing and sponsorship efforts and other areas of common interest, while maintaining separate memberships and responsibility for separate awards, Zap2it.com reported Friday.
The friction between the ATAS, responsible for the prime time Emmys, and NATAS, who takes care of daytime, news and sports programming, began in 1977 between the branches.
Dick Askin and Dennis Swanson, CEOs of the two organizations, have worked for the reconciliation.
"It's been our hope to find a way to end a long pattern of friction," Swanson said. "With this new spirit of cooperation, we will find constructive ways to further our common goal, which is recognizing excellence in television."
