Did Nominations Hurt the Oscar Results?

In this article from the Tampa Bay Times, the author discusses what perhaps was the problem with this year's Oscars.

While many will associate the downward ratings with just recent trends in people not caring to watch, some argue that it is the fact that Art House films have been owning the nominations as of late.

Considering films like The Artist only reached a limited audience, perhaps it is films like this that are hurting the final results.

Do you think this is why the Oscars continue to struggle, or is it perhaps just because people don't care?

Billy Crystal in blackface: Are the Academy Awards out of touch on race?

Many reviews of the 84th Oscars characterized the telecast as playing it safe – returning to the tried-and-true and attempting to embrace the glory days of Hollywood. But even if it tried to please a wide-ranging audience, many African-Americans were, at best, rubbed the wrong way.

Oscar< Grammy

The New York Times   reports that the Academy Awards ideal demographic isn't interested again. After trying to get young adult attention last year with James Franco and Anne Hathaway apparently, Billy Crystal did not do the trick. The Oscars did have a slight rise in viewers the 18-49 demographic stayed the same. Yet, in comparison to the Grammy Awards the number of viewers altogether & 18-49 demo had more viewers. Was it just because of the upsetting death of Whitney Houston?

It's Crystal Clear: The Oscars Were A Bore

Despite being up 4 percent from last year's telecast (the show managed a 25.5 household rating and a 38 share) the show was still not received well by critics.

Both the Hollywood Reporter (link above) and Deadline complained about the telecast, both agreeing it was too long, there were too many montages, and Chris Rock should host next year.

With the show starting off slow, Crystal's jokes could not seem to pick up as the telecast progressed. There seemed to be a handful of technical problems as well, with millions of online viewers complaining about noise feedback on the mic. The countless montages depicting the magic of movies may have been a little much as well.

"For all of this talk about how the movies are magic (montage, montage, montage), maybe someone in the business could have sprinkled some of that magic on this telecast. It certainly didn’t transport us to another world – unless that world was a show on another channel." - Hollywood Reporter

A hilarious play by play of the show can be seen on Deadline with the hilarious Nikki Finke essentially ripping the show to shreds.

ABC Sells Out the Oscars....

... of the advertising space. "A single spot in the 2008 Academy Awards cost nearly $1.3 million. In four years, the rate has increased by a factor of 30 percent." The average price of 30 seconds went for $1.7 million this year, clearly showing that marketers want to spend money on precious air time. The Academy Awards have the fourth largest audience and brought back the popular host, Billy Crystal. ABC had to turn away companies vying for those last seconds of ad time. Crystal is hosting for the ninth time and brings in an average of 45.2 viewers (last year there was only 37.6).

Will Crystal get the following of the younger audience of 18-34?
From his performances the past couple times that I've seen, he can handle it!

Billy Crystal opening of the 2004 Academy Awards.