The Television Academy has long existed to celebrate industry excellence, handing out Emmy Awards each fall.
But the North Hollywood-based group has been branching out. Dramatic shifts in television platforms, production and technology — including the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence — have spurred the nonprofit organization to boost its role advocating for its diverse membership by taking a deeper look at public policy that affects the industry.
Television Academy Chairman Cris Abrego and Chief Executive Maury McIntyre have traveled to Washington this week to meet with lawmakers to discuss potential legislation on AI. The trip marks the academy leadership’s first major foray into lobbying.
Writers, actors and other artisans are concerned about the use of AI, fearing cost-conscious companies will turn to automated computer programs to wipe out jobs. The 2023 labor strikes stretched for months as the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists pushed studio chiefs to add artist protections.
“Television is being impacted,” McIntyre said in an interview.
The issue comes as the Television Academy is trying to broaden its mission to better serve its nearly 30,000 members, not just the lucky few who take home the trophy of a winged woman lifting an atom. The statuette was designed in the early years of the Space Age, more than 70 years ago when television was the upstart medium roiling the Hollywood studio establishment.
Abrego, a veteran reality show producer who has led the academy for the last year, and McIntyre are scheduled to meet with California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, recently elected Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) and Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro . They also plan to visit staff members of Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and California Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte.
The interview was edited for length and clarity:
Media companies, trade groups and unions already lobby in Washington. What is the goal of your trip?
McIntyre: We represent all aspects of television. There are issues that affect our members that we can approach in a completely nonpartisan way. AI [is] impacting our members significantly, and they need a voice because they are not being represented right now. We are absolutely focusing on issues that impact all of our members and representing them in a nonpolitical way.
How is the academy approaching AI and the challenges presented by it?
Abrego: This industry has long embraced technology. We want to be at the table to figure out how to best bring AI into our industry as a tool that helps us create more content. And we want to be mindful to protect people’s individuals rights so they [can] create their art.
McIntyre: We absolutely understand AI is a tool and as a tool that’s going to be used, and we support its use. We are not going to Washington to try to say if there’s any concern about using AI. We want to focus on its ethical use, specifically around copyright and artist protections. We are clearly an academy of storytellers and content creators and we want to make sure that those stories and content are being protected.
What is your benchmark for success for this trip?
Abrego: We want to make an impact so [lawmakers] know the academy can bring added value to their process of writing legislation. We sit in a unique position of hearing from our members — stunt people to visual effects to makeup artists and directors. We’re not a union or a production company, but we want to create value for our membership, and we’re part of the global economy.
Is the academy also advocating for measures to try preserve L.A.’s production economy?
Abrego: One hundred percent. A majority of our membership resides here in California, and it’s crucial that production comes back. This is a massive effort, but one begins on the state level.
McIntyre: We’ve come out strongly in support of the expansion of the tax incentive that Gov. Newsom announced in his budget. We would be open to a conversation about a federal tax incentive to keep productions in the U.S. Productions are not just leaving California, they are leaving the U.S. So anything we can do to incentivize productions to stay domestic would be huge.
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