The writers’ strike might have stopped the Golden Globes, but the Oscars will go on, thanks to a deal reached Feb. 12 between The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
According to a recent article on CNN’s Web site the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences would have still produced an Academy Awards show, more commonly known as the Oscars, even if the writers’ strike had not ended.
The Academy had planned two shows, an “A” show with the actors present and a “B” show without the glitter of nominated actors as they had vowed not to cross picket lines. With the strike ending, the “A” show will now take place, setting the producers into a frenzy in order to be prepared by Sunday night, when the show is set to air.
Movies receiving the most nominations are “There Will Be Blood” and “No Country for Old Men,” both nominated for eight Oscars. “Atonement” and “Michael Clayton” have been nominated for seven Oscars.
While the Kodak Theatre hosting the Oscars will be full of excitement, some Auburn students have made no plans to watch the show.
Amy McDaniel, a senior in business administration and animal and dairy sciences, said she did not realize the Oscars were coming on soon.
“I don’t plan to watch the Oscars,” McDaniel said. “I haven’t even heard who has been nominated.”
McDaniel isn’t the only one without Oscar plans.
Lauren Samford, a pharmacy school student, said she has not made plans to watch the Oscars either.
“The Oscars isn’t exactly something I look forward to,” Samford said. “I wouldn’t alter my plans around seeing the show.”
Loren Willis, a junior in agricultural communications, agreed with Samford and McDaniel saying she has no plans to watch the show.
“If I turn on the television and the Oscars are on, I probably won’t turn it, but I am not making plans to watch the show,” Willis said.
Apparently, Auburn students aren’t the only ones who aren’t interested in the 80th Annual Academy Awards.
According to the CNN article, Oscar television ratings have been struggling in recent years.
Since 1974, only seven Oscar broadcasts have attracted an audience lower than 40 million views. Three of these have occurred in the last five years.
Some suggest the low ratings can be tied to the types of films being recognized.
The Academy Awards typically attracts women as viewers and many of the films nominated have not pulled particularly large numbers of female viewers.
The recent Oscars have also lacked the star power of previous shows, with many of those nominated being newcomers.
The 80th Annual Academy Awards will air at 6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24 on ABC.
