Bringing Back Oscar’s Integrity

Hollywood is getting tough. This week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which hands out those little gold Oscar statues each spring, announced new rules designed to prevent studio executives from “overzealously” campaigning for a particular film, director, or actor to win a high-profile award. In the past, the AMPAS had employed a set of “guidelines” for such purposes, but many studios openly flouted them, so the hope is that the more stringent code will cause execs to think twice. Penalties for breaking the rules include losing one’s seat at the Oscar ceremony, and, for voting members of the Academy, suspension or expulsion from that position.