And why its possibly the worst decision the Academy has made since giving Best Picture toCrash.
You may be asking, why does it matter?
Thats a good question.
But the Academy misunderstands two key things.
The Oscars are not a TV show, theyre an awards ceremony.
Its not that people are choosing not to watch the Oscars.
Image via Fox Searchlight
Its that theyre choosing not to watch traditional televisionperiod.
So relatively speaking theyre doingfine.
Additionally, the Oscars are not and never should have been a TV show.
Image via Paramount Pictures
Its a ceremony honoring the highest achievement in the world of film, and should be crafted as such.
The Academys attempt to draw in new and younger viewers to its telecast is nothing new.
They tried by havingJames FrancoandAnne Hathawayhost.
Image via Marvel Studios
They tried by lettingSeth McFarlanesing about boobs.
They tried by staging a musical tribute toDreamgirls(this one still perplexes me).
None of these efforts worked.
Image via Marvel Studios
There are people who love to watch the Oscars, and those who dont care.
This will almost certainly backfire.
Would films likeMad Max: Fury Road,Inception, orThe Martianeven have been nominated?
Image via 20th Century Fox
Probably not, and thats a shame.
This decision also undermines the other efforts to diversify the kinds of films that are deemed Oscar movies.
It turns Hollywoods biggest night into a better-dressed MTV Movie Awards.
Image via Paramount Pictures
So yeah, good luck with all that.
Image via Universal Pictures
