It feels like it was only yesterday that the daytime community came together to celebrate the best of the best among dramas, talk shows, entertainment news and courtroom shows, among other daytime staples. Now comes word that beginning with “The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards,” several changes will be taking place, including eliminating the Outstanding Younger Performer in a Daytime Drama Series category and the Outstanding Promotional Announcement category. Plus, eligibility is changed in the Daytime Program Host category.

Announced on Thursday by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the organization behind the Daytime Emmy Awards, the Outstanding Younger Performer in a Daytime Drama Series category is being eliminated altogether, marking the first time since 1985 that the category will not be presented to a performer (actor or actress) under a certain age.

Starting with “The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” in 2020, but announced in October 2019, the Outstanding Younger Actor and Outstanding Younger Actress categories were combined into one due to a lack of eligible performers to sustain two separate categories. The most recent ceremony, “The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards,” saw “General Hospital” star Eden McCoy take home the gold for her portrayal as Josslyn Jacks on the daytime drama series. McCoy has since aged out of the category based on rules implemented by NATAS, wherein the age limit for the category was lowered from 25 to 21 and further lowered to 18 (McCoy is now 20).

With the elimination of the Outstanding Younger Performer category, the net for Outstanding Lead, Supporting, and Guest categories has now been widened, increasing competition across the four daytime drama series.

“Programming is always changing, and NATAS continues to adapt its competition rules to reflect these shifts in the television landscape,” said Adam Sharp, President of NATAS. “We’re looking forward to gathering again at the 51st Daytime Emmys to celebrate all the nominees and the entertaining and enlightening programs they create.”

The Call for Entries for “The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” is now open, effective Thursday, February 1.

What follows is a breakdown of key changes for the Daytime Emmys, starting with “The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.”

Daytime Program Host Eligibility

Hosts, Co-Hosts, and Correspondents from Entertainment News and Legal/Courtroom Programs (e.g. the judges and bailiffs) are now eligible within the Daytime Personality – Daily or Daytime Personality – Non-Daily category depending on airing/streaming schedule. They also remain eligible in their respective Program categories but cannot win two Emmy statuettes for the same function, e.g. if a Program wins Outstanding Program and the Hosts win Outstanding Daytime Personality, the statuette defaults to the Host entry. Hosts from the same Program will be included in a single entry with all Hosts, Co-Hosts, Anchors and Correspondents on the same submission and the reel must contain footage that highlights all entrants.

Daytime Personality – Daily

Honoring Hosts, Co-Hosts, Anchors, and Correspondents on Daytime-eligible content that airs or streams daily AND/OR has more than 52 episodes per calendar year. Eligible genres are: Entertainment News, Legal/Courtroom, Travel/Adventure/Nature, Instructional/How-To, Lifestyle, Arts and Popular Culture, Educational and Informational, and Short Form. Talk Series Hosts and Culinary Hosts remain eligible only in their respective categories.

Daytime Personality – Non-Daily

Honoring Hosts, Co-Hosts, Anchors, Correspondents, and Narrators on Daytime-eligible content that airs or streams weekly or all at once AND/OR has fewer than 52 episodes per calendar year (regardless of how many were filmed or produced). Eligible genres are: Entertainment News, Legal/Courtroom, Travel/Adventure/Nature, Instructional/How-To, Lifestyle, Arts and Popular Culture, Educational and Informational, Daytime Special, and Short Form. Talk Series Hosts and Culinary Hosts remain eligible only in their respective categories.

For Daytime Hosts, the Talk Series Host and Culinary Host categories remain unchanged.

Eliminated Categories

• Outstanding Younger Performer in a Daytime Drama Series (Younger Performers remain eligible to enter Lead, Supporting or Guest categories.)
• Outstanding Promotional Announcement

Merged Categories

Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Non-Fiction Series and Outstanding Writing for Daytime Non-Fiction Special have been merged into Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Non-Fiction Program

Petitioning Off-List Credits

Late Credit Additions are still permitted, as per the parameters above, but ONLY for on-list credits. Off-list credits must be submitted at the time of entry to allow for Awards Administration to seek a full petition if warranted. Off-list credits cannot be submitted late.

Music Licensing

For categories identified as Music Categories (these are Music Direction and Composition and Original Song in the Daytime Emmys), nominees will be REQUIRED to provide complete publishing information and sign an additional NATAS-issued licensing agreement allowing NATAS to use the music featured in the Ceremony Clip(s). The information will be distributed to nominees only. Failure to provide adequate information AND proper contact information for a legally authorized signer will result in a different clip being selected or replacement of the music with rights-cleared music at NATAS’ discretion.

Late Credit Additions

NATAS is moving away from a policy of allowing late credit additions after the ceremony date. Please be aware that this is the final year in which Daytime will allow for fee-based changes after the ceremony date. Entrants should be preparing for a streamlined process, including reviewing credits, name spellings, titles, etc., at the time of submission via the Producer’s Proof in Orthicon. To help acclimate the community to our future process, we will be introducing a staggered late credit fee structure:

• Changes from the entry window close to five business days after the nominations announcement: gratis
• Changes from six business days after the nominations announcement through the ceremony: $250 per change
• Changes from the ceremony date through 30 days after the ceremony date: $500 per change **LAST YEAR OF POST-CEREMONY CHANGES**
• Changes 31+ days after the ceremony: not allowed under any circumstances

Key Dates and Deadlines for The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards

• Open for Submissions (February 1, 2024)
• Open for Judging Sign Ups (February 1, 2024)
• Entry Deadline (February 22, 2024)
• Late Entry Deadline (March 7, 2024)
• Judging (March 21, 2024-April 11, 2024)
• Nominations Announcement (Week of April 15, 2024)
• Gratis Credit Changes Deadline and Program Deadline (5 Business Days After Nominations Announcement)
• Daytime Emmys Ceremony and Daytime Emmys Lifestyle & Creative Arts Ceremony — Los Angeles, CA (Early June 2024)