 The Emmy Awards stage was set in the round this year |
The Emmy Awards ceremony attracted one of the smallest TV audiences in its history, preliminary ratings show. Some 13.1 million people tuned in to the Fox network to see The Sopranos scoop the top prize on Sunday - three million fewer than watched last year.
Other winners at the TV industry's most prestigious ceremony included James Spader, Sally Field and Ricky Gervais.
The Emmys were beaten in the ratings by a National Football League game on NBC, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The Emmy ceremony was presided over by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest and had a revamped set in an attempt to refresh its image.
But the Associated Press said this year's ratings were the lowest ever for the ceremony, while Reuters reported they were the second lowest.
"These are not stellar numbers," a Fox spokesman told Reuters.
Big-name winners
The Sopranos was named best drama for its final season, while 30 Rock won best comedy.
Sopranos star James Gandolfini was beaten to the best drama actor award by Spader, who appears in Boston Legal.
Double-Oscar winner Sally Field took her third Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama for the series Brothers and Sisters.
Gervais was the surprise winner in the best comedy actor category for Extras, while fellow British star Dame Helen Mirren took best drama actress in a mini-series for Prime Suspect.
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