Oscars plan to show popular movies more love proves instantly unpopular | Advertising
Two problems have long plagued the Oscars: telecasts that drag on too long and award nominees that no one has heard of.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is now tackling both concerns with changes to its annual prizes. Blockbuster movies, long ignored by Hollywood’s most prestigious awards, will get an Oscar of their own — outstanding achievement in popular film, intended to honor the pictures that draw the most fans to theaters.
ABC’s annual telecast of the Oscars has been losing viewers for years — the audience peaked at more than 55 million in 1998 when “Titanic” won best picture and slumped to 25.6 million this year when the little-seen “The Shape of Water” grabbed top honors. Observers usually cite two reasons for the ratings slump: shows that drags on for close to four hours and the growing celebration of art films in limited release.
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