Daytime Emmys aims to lock TV deal by November

This year's TV deal for the Daytime Emmys didn't get signed until May 24, about a month before the ceremony. In no mood to repeat that experience, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences chairman Malachy Wienges told Variety today that he plans to have a deal for the 2013 Daytime Emmys closed by November.

"There’s no way that I could do what I did again last (time)," he said.

Wienges said that he began work on the new set of TV negotiations last month and that he has had interest so far from one broadcast network, two cable networks and two production companies.  A possibility is going back to Turner-owned HLN for the second year in a row, though Wienges said TNT and TBS are also part of the Turner discussion.

One definite is that the kudos will remain in Los Angeles, with the daytime community having voiced a clear preference over its Las Vegas sojourn in 2010 and 2011. The Beverly Hilton is a leading possibility to host the event again, though NATAS is also looking at a couple of other venues. 

Wienges also cited Tuesday's hiring of David Michaels as senior exec director of the Daytime Emmys as a positive sign.

"I decided to beef up the New York operation with somebody that has experience on the East and West Coast, and David filled the bill," Wienges said.