More on the Daytime Emmy Awards on The CW

Jim Romanovich, ATI’s president of Worldwide Media and Entertainment, has answered some remaining questions about how the Daytime Emmy Awards in late August on The CW came to be.

Why August and not June like in previous years?
"Two reasons. June was too soon and it's a month I never understood for doing a show of this magnitude. The season is over and people are in summer mode-meaning vacation! We want to do something very special with this event and we need time to do it. I chose August 30th because it was the Sunday to kick everything off on the CW, stars will be back from vacation, viewers will be excited about new TV events as summer winds down, and contrary to what was stated elsewhere, this is not Labor Day weekend. It's a really good time to do this."

So what's going to be different from past telecasts?
"A sense of fun and celebration. First and foremost, this is a television event and we need to entertain the audience if we want them to watch. We're not re-inventing the wheel. But how about a new wheel? Our plan is more interaction and humor-but not the dreaded banter between two presenters. I am planning a tribute to GUIDING LIGHT which will hopefully have a major star formerly of the soap along with classic clips and, if possible, as many living stars as possible on stage. That might be more difficult to achieve than I envision, but you know how we're thinking. Also expect a memoriam to Phil Carey and Clint Ritchie from ONE LIFE TO LIVE. With the soap categories, think tribute rather than just "the nominees are..." As we get closer, changes may be made for various reasons. But whatever changes we make, it will be for the good of the show. I can tell you we plan to make this move swiftly, but not rushed. It will be high spirited and well-paced."

Why is the show in Los Angeles this year and not New York?
" Because that's what we at ATI wanted. We're based here. In order to do the show that we want and that's expected of us, we had to be in Los Angeles. Are we attached should there be a 2010 Daytime Emmy show? Yes, there are options. Would we do it in New York next year? I would love to."