Netflix comes up empty at cable-dominated Emmy ceremony

Netflix's (NASDAQ: NFLX) splashy emergence into premium original content has signaled a huge competitive threat to the programming realm that's come to dominate that business in recent years, cable.

But if Monday night's Primetime Emmy presentation revealed anything, it's that cable still has the upper hand.

Despite continued ballyhoo for Netflix originals House of Cards (considered by the TV Academy as a drama) and Orange Is the New Black (entered as a comedy), neither series won a major Emmy category Monday.

The complete shutout was a surprise, given that House of Cards had won major honors for top drama series in 2013, seeming to signal a sea change in a subjective entertainment award that--love it or revile it--does carry industry weight in terms of how content is valued and promoted. House of Cards also won seven of the 31 categories it was nominated in during the Emmy Creative Arts ceremony two weeks ago.

The big primetime winner this year was a basic cable drama, AMC's Breaking Bad, which won top drama series, and also saw Bryan Cranston (lead actor), Aaron Paul (supporting actor) and Anna Gunn (supporting actress) come away with big trophies.

For more:
- read this CNET story
- read this ABC News story

Related links:
Emmy reveals its most cable (and Netflix)-dominated nominations list yet
Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards lead Netflix's 31 Emmy nominations
A closer look at the billions of dollars Netflix, Amazon and Hulu are spending on original content