LOS ANGELES: Three female comedians will share hosting duties, fans will choose two awards, and some acceptance speeches will be recorded before the live broadcast.
That is part of the plan to shake up this year's Academy Awards telecast, which faces a pivotal test on Sunday to try and rebound from last year's record-low ratings.
After going without a host since 2019, the 94th Oscars boasts three: comedians Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes. It marks the first time a trio of women will emcee the ceremony, each bringing her own sense of humor.
"We're already starting with three vaginas," Hall said in an interview. "I think three women on stage already sets (the show) off, so I think we're starting pretty hot."
"Trainwreck" star Schumer has described her style as "mean-spirited" and said she is ready to "burn some bridges" in the A-list audience. "That's why we're all here, just so we can trash each other," she joked in a video released by broadcaster ABC.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Hall and Sykes promised a gentler tone to reflect the show theme of "Movie Lovers Unite."
"We're coming in there with love," Sykes said. "We want everyone to have a good time, and we want everybody to feel at ease."
In its heyday, the Academy Awards reigned as must-see TV and served as a glitzy commercial for Hollywood. More than 55 million U.S. viewers tuned in when megahit "Titanic" swept the honors in 1998.
Last year, when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted organizers to move the ceremony to a train station with limited attendance and no musical performances, viewership sank to 10.4 million on ABC, which has rights to televise the show through 2028.
And while the audience size is shrinking, the age of viewers watching traditional television, including the Oscars, is rising, said media consultant Brad Adgate.
"Younger viewers are not staying home to watch this," Adgate said. "I think the genre has become passe, like beauty pageants used to be a big event on television. It's slipping into that category."
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Oscars, is not alone in this challenge.
With the exception of NFL football games, live TV viewing has declined across the board as viewers turn to streaming shows on demand or spend time on TikTok and Twitter. The Emmys and Grammys also posted record-low viewership during the pandemic.
Plus, ratings data do not capture all of the viewership on streaming.
At this year's Oscars, music will be back with performances by superstars Beyonce, Billie Eilish and others.
Organizers also hope to highlight some of the year's biggest movies by announcing the results of two fan polls conducted on Twitter, for favorite film and best film moment.
Recent nominations have tended to focus on arthouse titles. This year's most-nominated movie, "The Power of the Dog," is a psychological thriller that streamed on Netflix NFLX.O, about a cruel ranch owner in the American West.
Producers are aiming to keep the show to three hours. Some years it has stretched beyond four.
To help keep within that time limit, winners of eight awards including sound and production design will be announced inside the Dolby Theatre just before the TV broadcast. Edited recordings of their speeches will be played during the telecast.
The change sparked a backlash from Steven Spielberg and others who said it was a slight to craftspeople who are critical to bringing movies to the screen.
"They are trying to make the show punchier and shorter," said Nigel Smith, movies editor at People magazine. "Hopefully, that's the kind of show we're going to be seeing, something surprising and new and fresh."
If ratings decline further, he added, "they're just going to have to go back to the drawing board."
Reuters
Sat Mar 26 2022
![Oscars face a make-or-break moment to build audience Oscars face a make-or-break moment to build audience](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-03/51648207301_LosAngeles.jpg)
Letters that spell out OSCARS sit on the sidewalk as work crews build the red carpet arrivals area on Hollywood Boulevard as preparation for the Academy Awards begin in Los Angeles, California, US. - REUTERS
Panas sangat! Capybara pun makan ais
Kerana cuaca terlalu panas, bukan sahaja manusia menerima kesannya, malah haiwan juga terasa bahang. Di Rusia, Capybaras yang tinggal di sebuah zoo di Moscow diberi makanan istimewa iaitu ais.
Moscow sangkal kenyataan Trump
Duta Besar Rusia ke Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), Vassily Nebenzia menyangkal kenyataan calon presiden Amerika Syarikat, Donald Trump yang berkata konflik perang antara Rusia dan Ukraine akan mampu diselesaikannya sekiranya dipilih ke jawatan itu kelak.
Parti Buruh berada di depan berbanding Parti Konservatif
Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata keputusan tersebut boleh berubah jika berlaku peralihan undi atau 'swing vote' menjelang hari pengundian.
Blinken tepis dakwaan Biden tidak berupaya pimpin AS
Setiausaha Negara Amerika Syarikat, Anthony Blinken kesal dengan kritikan yang dilemparkan terhadap prestasi Joe Biden di pentas debat perdana bertemu Donald Trump Jumaat lalu yang disifatkan sebagai tidak bermaya.
Protes di Nairobi belum reda, merebak ke Mombasa
Protes di Nairobi, Kenya yang memaksa Presiden William Ruto untuk melepaskan jawatan, tidak menunjukkan tanda reda malah semakin meluas sehingga ke wilayah Mombasa. Terbaharu, tembakan gas terpaksa dilepaskan terhadap penunjuk perasaan, selain beberapa individu turut ditahan polis.
Pesawat Air Europa mendarat cemas, puluhan cedera
Media antarabangsa melaporkan, pesawat Boeing 787-9 itu terpaksa membuat lencongan dan mendarat di lapangan terbang Natal di timur laut Brazil.
87 angka kematian direkodkan akibat dirempuh
Sekurang-kurangnya 87 mangsa meninggal dunia dalam kejadian rempuhan di sebuah acara keagamaan di utara India, Uttar Pradesh pada Selasa.
Singapura 'sedia secara prinsip' iktiraf Palestin
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan berkata penyelesaian dua negara adalah 'satu-satunya jalan berdaya maju' untuk mencapai penyelesaian yang komprehensif, adil dan berkekalan terhadap konflik, yang diperjuangkan oleh Singapura secara konsisten.
Kerajaan gesa rakyat Malaysia di Asia Barat daftar segera
Kementerian Luar berkata rakyat Malaysia yang bermastautin atau melancong ke rantau Asia Barat dinasihatkan untuk sentiasa berwaspada dan ikuti perkembangan terkini yang dikeluarkan oleh pihak berkuasa tempatan yang berkaitan.
Lawatan khas Sheikh Al-Azhar Al-Sharif ke Malaysia 2-5 Julai
Menurut Kementerian Luar (Wisma Putra), semasa lawatan tersebut, Sheikh Al-Azhar akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan Perdana Menteri di Seri Perdana.
![Kerabat Diraja Britain zahir ucapan tahniah kepada Michelle Yeoh Kerabat Diraja Britain zahir ucapan tahniah kepada Michelle Yeoh](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-03/71678722547_INSERTMichelleYeoh.jpg)
Kerabat Diraja Britain zahir ucapan tahniah kepada Michelle Yeoh
Kemenangan yang diraih Michelle turut memberi makna kepada kesatuan Komanwel, kata keluarga diraja itu.
![Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh kebanggaan Malaysia, kini di mercu persada filem Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh kebanggaan Malaysia, kini di mercu persada filem](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-12/41670399461_MichelleYeoh.jpg)
Oscars 2023: Michelle Yeoh kebanggaan Malaysia, kini di mercu persada filem
Sementara menanti keputusan Anugerah Academy, Astro AWANI senaraikan perihal seniwati Michelle Yeoh.
!['Road To Oscars' usaha kerajaan pastikan filem tempatan setanding antarabangsa 'Road To Oscars' usaha kerajaan pastikan filem tempatan setanding antarabangsa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-03/51646673954_ZahidiZainulAbidin.jpg)
'Road To Oscars' usaha kerajaan pastikan filem tempatan setanding antarabangsa
Kementerian Komunikasi Dan Multimedia (K-KOMM) berhasrat untuk membawa filem-filem tempatan untuk bersaing di pentas antarabangsa.
![Selepas Chris Rock ditampar, polis sedia menahan Will Smith di Oscar Selepas Chris Rock ditampar, polis sedia menahan Will Smith di Oscar](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-04/71648772493_willsmith.jpg)
Selepas Chris Rock ditampar, polis sedia menahan Will Smith di Oscar
Namun pihak berkuasa tidak mengambil tindakan selepas Rock memutuskan untuk tidak mendakwa Smith.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-11/71638189911_BAP.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Anugerah Oscars kembali dengan hos selepas 4 tahun Anugerah Oscars kembali dengan hos selepas 4 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-04/71619408361_Oscarsstatuette.jpg)
Anugerah Oscars kembali dengan hos selepas 4 tahun
Penganjuran malam kemuncak industri perfileman itu akan kembali ke venue tradisi Dolby Theater, Los Angeles pada 27 Mac ini.
![Filem 'Prebet Sapu' wakili Malaysia di anugerah Oscars - Finas Filem 'Prebet Sapu' wakili Malaysia di anugerah Oscars - Finas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-11/71635939399_TBPREBETSAPU.jpg)
Filem 'Prebet Sapu' wakili Malaysia di anugerah Oscars - Finas
Filem cereka 'Prebet Sapu' arahan Muzammer Rahman, telah dipilih oleh Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia (FINAS) untuk mewakili Malaysia ke Anugerah Akademi (Oscars) ke-94.
![Tindakan Finas tolak permohonan geran Afdlin bermotif politik - Anwar Ibrahim Tindakan Finas tolak permohonan geran Afdlin bermotif politik - Anwar Ibrahim](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-05/41620055707_AfdlinShauki.jpg)
Tindakan Finas tolak permohonan geran Afdlin bermotif politik - Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar menuntut permohonan Afdlin itu dikaji semula supaya industri perfileman tempatan kekal terbela.
![Oscar: Meriah dalam kepelbagaian, bagaimana peluang filem tempatan? Oscar: Meriah dalam kepelbagaian, bagaimana peluang filem tempatan?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-04/41619331938_minaridannomadland.jpg)
Oscar: Meriah dalam kepelbagaian, bagaimana peluang filem tempatan?
Perjalanan filem tempatan masih jauh untuk memperbaiki mutu filem tempatan dan membina rangkaian serta menyusun strategi pemasaran yang berkesan.
![Peminat filem seram kini berpeluang bermalam di rumah Buffalo Bill Peminat filem seram kini berpeluang bermalam di rumah Buffalo Bill](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/51612572954_house.jpg)
Peminat filem seram kini berpeluang bermalam di rumah Buffalo Bill
Hiasan dalaman rumah itu dikekalkan seperti dalam filem hasil karya Jonathan Demme yang telah memenangi lima anugerah Oscars.