Academy Updates Oscar Rules to Avoid Disqualifications

The Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have updated their official rules in order to prevent another controversial disqualification like the one brought down upon former Academy governor Bruce Broughton, who was nominated this past year for his song "Alone Yet Not Alone" from the little-seen movie of the same name.

The controversy last year stemmed from accusations that Broughton lobbied for the nomination by reaching out to members of the music branch -- this, despite regulations being put in place to keep the identities of songwriters and lyricists on the ballot anonymous. Thus, the Academy has no decreed a new, official change to the rules, although it reads much more like a clarification:

In short, no members of the music branch will be allowed to contact other members of the branch "to promote the nomination of their song in any way." Branch members are also forbidden from attending any stand-alone performances of nominated songs; however, attendance of such performances will be permitted if they are part of an accompanying screening of the film from which they came.

Given how badly things got out of hand following Broughton's disqualification, it's better to be safe than sorry. Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs defended the Academy's decision in the wake of the ruling, prompting Broughton to lash out at AMPAS over the snub, and while the entire debacle has ultimately been forgotten (for the most part), I don't think it's a saga the Academy would like to repeat. Hence, the stricter rules. Of course, rules like these are in place for a reason, so this makes plenty of sense. Awards season is contentious enough as it is.

Via: Gold Derby

Credit: ABC / AMPAS