Sharjah24 – Reuters: The Oscars next month will pre-tape the announcements of eight winners in an attempt to make the televised ceremony "tighter and more electric," organizers said Tuesday.
The decision, made to "prioritize the television audience," will free up more time for musical performances, comedy and tributes, Academy president David Rubin said in an email to nominees and members.
Television ratings for the Oscars have dramatically declined in recent years. Last year's edition was watched by just over 10 million viewers -- a 56 percent decline from 2020, which was already a record low.
Eight awards "will initially be presented in the Dolby Theatre in the hour before the live broadcast begins," and edited highlights will be "folded seamlessly into the live televised show," the email seen by AFP says.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has mulled reducing the number of categories in the live broadcast before, and recently merged its "sound mixing" and "sound editing" awards into a single Oscar.
But previous attempts were unpopular, particularly among members working in craft categories -- from film editing to makeup and hairstyling -- who fear missing out on what is often a career-highlight moment.
Those categories will now be pre-taped, along with awards for original score, sound, production design, documentary shorts, animated shorts and live-action shorts.
The 94th Academy Awards telecast will also include a new "fan favorite" prize for the year's most popular film, as voted for by Twitter users.
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