More Faces, Less Caution, in New Oscar Broadcasts

At a lunch for Oscars nominees yesterday, the Oscars Academy announced changes aimed at getting more nominees' faces on camera.

A separate deal with the US network ABC means that the seven-second delay which was instituted last year as a reaction to a Superbowl broadcast blooper will no longer be an obligatory feature.

A "wardrobe malfunction" during a half-time performance by Janet Jackson led to the singer's breast "popping out" of her costume during last year's Superbowl performance; worried by the precedent, and by the traditions of actors making quasi-political statements as part of their acceptance speeches, ABC made the Academy agree to a seven-second delay in its "live" broadcast. A new deal giving ABC rights to broadcast the event until 2014 did not stipulate the delay, though the broadcaster remains free to use one if it wishes.

Meanwhile, the Academy announced that all nominees will be called to the stage in some categories to hear the winner announced. While nominees for the big awards are captured on camera in their seats as the envelope is opened, this becomes more difficult for collaborative categories such as screenwriting. The Academy hopes that the new procedures will give every nominee at least a little screen time.

The Academy said 113 nominees attended the awards luncheon yesterday. The Oscars ceremony will take place on Sunday February 27.