Oscar Tape Delay Angers Academy

Netscape News (Reuters) ^ | 2/10/2004 | ?

[plain talk]

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Five seconds might not amount to a lot of time considering that ABC's Academy Awards broadcast is expected to run 3-1/2 hours on Feb. 29. But the network's insistence on using a five-second tape delay has angered Frank Pierson, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In a letter to the Academy's membership, he warned that a delay, which has not been used before on an Oscar show, could be the first step on a slippery slope that "introduces a form of censorship."

Although the Academy's board of governors refused last week to endorse ABC's request to use a tape delay, the Academy admits that the decision ultimately rests in ABC's hands. And, in the wake of the fallout that followed Janet Jackson's breast-baring on CBS' broadcast of the Super Bowl, ABC intends to use a tape delay for the Oscar show. While ABC has not subjected the Oscars to the delete button in the past, a network spokeswoman said that even before the Super Bowl incident, the network has routinely used tape delays for its other live broadcasts -- largely so that it can be ready to deal with any technical problems that might arise.

Pierson wrote Academy members that "even a very brief tape delay introduces a form of censorship into a broadcast -- not direct governmental control, but it means that a network representative is in effect guessing at what a government might tolerate, which can be even worse." While he acknowledged that this year's delay "would be aimed at individual words," he warned that "once the principle of a delay has been accepted, though, how much broader a scope might be sought in subsequent years, and how long before not only words but ideas become subject to deletion?"

So while the Academy will bill the show as live -- which carries promotional value since it promises suspense and unexpected developments -- ABC will ensure that it is live but for a five-second delay. "We will present the show live, a celebration of achievement, with a little glitz, a little glamour, as always," Pierson promised. "If it comes with a bleep, we are all losers."

[Crazieman]

Message lost on hollyweird? Whodathunkit?

[Stopislamnow]

Delete Hollywood.

Read a book.

[unixfox]

They brought it on themselves. I say let em sleep where they lie.

[Unam Sanctam]

Poor baby. Once Hollywood demonstrates that they can be trusted not to put on XXX shows to an unsuspecting public, they can show live performances.

[rllngrk33]

Oh Boo Hoo! Now the hollywierdos won't be able to shock and offend the viewers like they were planning. Like Rush said the next step is to out do the tit seen round the world by flashing some guy's johnson on the screen.

[speedy]

"If it comes with a bleep, we are all losers."

Well, you ARE all losers.

[Burkeman1]

Talent? Your right. There are very few real acting talents anymore. A major reason for this is nepotism. How many "stars" are the sons and daughters of other actors or Hollywood executives? No other industry in America is so infested with family connections than entertainment.

[Cubs Fan]

"introduces a form of censorship."

Duh, there already is censorship. You can't swear or show certain body parts.

This guy really rode in on the short bus.

[Colonel_Flagg]

ABC will ensure that it is live but for a five-second delay. "We will present the show live, a celebration of achievement, with a little glitz, a little glamour, as always," Pierson promised. "If it comes with a bleep, we are all losers."

There. Fixed that quote right up. :)

[CFC__VRWC]

Message to Hollyweird - it's real easy to make the delays go away. All you have to do is prove that you can keep your clothes on and your mouths clean while the cameras are rolling. You seem to have had major problems with that lately.

[Revolting cat!]

I figure if they delayed it by about a week, the way it was delayed at the time of newsreels, it would cure us all of this religious worship of the Hollywood airheads.

I must say, I couldn't believe after all those the Super Bowel halftime fiasco discussions, that the same supposedly outraged FReepers would participate in a play by play, what 2,000 post thread on the airheads' GRAMMYS! Kill your TV!

[The Wizard]

why should they give a damn...

[CIB-173RDABN]

They are worried about a five second delay? Most "live" shows are on a three hour delay for the west coast.

[Moonmad27]

My bet right now is that Sean Penn wins - just because they want him to stand up there and spew his anti-GWB speech.

[weegee]

Act like children and be treated like one.

[bc2]

ABC is a company run by a board of directors. If that board of directors chooses to institute a slight delay in their broadcast to ensure that they can control the quality of their final product, that's not "censorship", in THAT kind of way, it's common sense.

This Academy guy needs to loosen up his tinfoil beanie!

[weegee]

Tell him to talk to Jack Valenti about censorship...

[I'm ALL Right!]

LOL!! Perfect.