Oscars 2022 controversies: Category elimination, celebrity vaccination policies, ratings drop

The Oscars are back and how after the pandemic-hit world has somehow come to a state of control. While the nominations and returning hosts have been newsmakers since day one, the 2022 Oscars have been at the center of controversy since the very beginning. From the elimination of eight categories to Covid-19 vaccination protocols for winners and guests, here’s all the Oscars controversy in a nutshell.

ELIMINATION OF CATEGORIES

It was on February 15 that it was decided that eight of the total 23 categories would not premiere during the main Oscars show, but one hour before the start of the event. Categories include Documentary (Short Subject), Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Production Design, Short Film (Animation), Short Film (Live Action). The winning speeches in each category will be edited before they air. This led to the decision of the nominees belonging to these categories being postponed. “I can’t think of a reason to stay in an organization that no longer respects my craft,” sound mixer Peter Kurland told The Hollywood Reporter.

LOW OSCAR BROADCAST RATINGS

Regarding the previous point, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced its decision to increase the Oscar ratings by removing the aforementioned categories. The AMPAS CEO told Deadline, “So after 11 p.m. the East Coast viewership goes down and you measure the viewership until the last commercial break.” Further adding: “It’s very granular, but if your last commercial break is after 11 a.m. or after 11 p.m., you’re just sucking up all that dwindling audience and it’s impacting all of your ratings. , which impacts your advertisers for the next one.”

COMPLICATED COVID-19 PLAN

The 94th Academy Awards are of course taking into account the Covid-19 regulations. However, everything is complicated. Around 2,500 guests attending the 2022 Oscars will be required to present proof of vaccination and at least two negative Covid-19 reports. However, performers and presenters will not need a vaccination report, but may need to undergo an RT-PCR test to attend the event. The mask requirement also depends on his involvement in the award ceremony. Additionally, the Academy only invites 2,500 guests out of the Dolby Theater’s capacity to accommodate 3,317 people.

FIASCO FAN FAVORITE OSCARS

In one of the first, the Oscars announced an online voting poll created on Twitter, where the public can vote for their choice of movies. This was apparently done with the intention of amplifying their engagement plans. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the top mentions, however, the polls quickly turned fans away. Is it right ? Nobody knows.

WHERE TO WATCH THE OSCARS 2022

Now let’s come to the informative part – where and how to watch the 2022 Oscars. Well, the 94th Academy Awards will be livestreamed on March 27 at 8 PM ET. In India, the ceremony will air at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, March 28. The 2022 Oscars will air on Star Movies, Star Movies HD and Star World beginning at 6:30 a.m. You can also follow live updates on the Academy’s social media pages.

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