Next to the Super Bowl, it's the most watched live event in North America. So why is the Academy Awards almost always such a terrible show? The producers wondered that too, and after years of resistance, those in charge have finally pushed through some reforms that will make the show next February hopefully flow a lot faster. 

Among the changes: giving out some of the least popular awards during commercial breaks (Best Set Design anyone?) while airing a heavily edited highlights package of the winners later in the show, a new category called "Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film," whatever that means, and perhaps most significant of all, ensuring the interminable show runs only three hours. 

This event makes a lot of money for the stations that show it (usually ABC there and CTV here.) But it's been a bore-athon for so long, I haven't paid any attention to it in years. (Plus I'm way out of that "go to a movie" demo.)  Still, these changes sound like they're long overdue. 

And I might just tune in next year. If only to see if the pontificating, cause-bearing Hollywood types can really be tamed enough to make the thing only last 180 minutes. THAT should get an award in itself. 

Oscars To Speed Up Broadcast 

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This brings to mind an infamous incident almost no one remembers - the year the Oscars actually ran short. How did that happen? This TV Guide article from 1977 explains what went into one of the weirdest broadcasts in movie awards history.