If the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences bestowed an Emmy Award for best behind-the-scenes drama, it might find itself a winner this year.

The tussle, of course, is over money. Every spring, studios and networks campaign for Emmy nominations by sending out free “for your consideration” DVDs to the 14,000 or so voters.

These so-called screeners are certainly not free to distribute. Aside from the mailing costs, studios and networks must pay a fee to the academy for each episode they want to send. (Only the academy knows the identity of voters.) The fees vary, but most often studios and networks pay $1,500 an episode, with bills sometimes totaling more than $100,000.

TV executives have long grumbled about the fees but haven’t rebelled — until now. Instead of mailing out stacks of DVDs this year, several companies have created free, password-protected Web sites where they are streaming episodes for voters. To spread the word, they are taking out ads in Variety or sending out one DVD with a couple of episodes and a “to see more go to our Web site” note.

Showtime, one of the academy’s biggest clients, is a leader of the mutiny. Richard Licata, the channel’s communications chief, played up the environmental and piracy angles but conceded that cost was an issue. “If the distribution and marketing can be accomplished in an economical and ecological way,” he said, “everyone wins.”

Except the academy, where fees are down by about 10 percent, said Alan Perris, the chief operating officer. To fight back, it will introduce a Web site where networks can showcase their programs (and still pay). A letter was also sent to members, reminding them that campaigning should be funneled through the organization.

Perris said the money that is generated accounts for about 2 percent of the academy’s budget and is used to support parties. “We can survive without this, but it’s nice,” he said.