Emmys? Why air them? Who cares?

I noticed watching the news tonight that the emmys, an award ceremony for Hollywood actors, recently took place and that the nielson ratings showed a 6% drop in viewership compared with last year. My question is, why anyone would be interested in watching the ceremony, besides the actors themselves, who are for the most part in attendance. I just don't understand why it would be broadcast for the general audience. Of course, I also never understand why anyone would pay any attention to magazines like "People" that cover the lives of film and television celebrities.