Congratulations to the NY Times... they ruined a few Oscar night surprises.
Is this a good thing?
We are now getting into the short weeks that will lead to Oscar and every hack in the gossip/journalism game will try to garner attention by "previewing" the evening, which the new producers are trying desperately to keep under wraps so it will actually be a pleasant surprise instead of pre-picked over to the point of forcing the yawn.
The way I came up seeing the world, knowing more than you do is just my job. How much of what I know that I choose to tell you used to be called “editorial judgment.”
As best as I can tell, Michael Cieply actually knows more than he wrote. Judgment. Writing the piece at all… for me… bad judgment.
If the top of the food chain is pushing out spoiling gossip as news, what can we expect from the low end of the chain?
And when the Oscar producers are asked to present the basics of the show to a group of over 40 people at The Academy, leaks are going to happen.
I know… you want to know… this is the internet… speed… yadda yadda…
This is not a nuclear secret. This is not the government. It is a show. And it is a show that is trying to find some new ways to thrill a bored audience.
Me? I happen to have stronger inside sourcing that I have in years. And I’ve already been told more than I really want to know. And I am not going to ask any questions. And I am not going to tell you a single thing to expect.
I am going to watch the show and hope that the new guys have found a better show in there. I will try to be a fan. I want to love the Academy Awards again.
The ratings won’t go up this year no matter what. As with movies, you can’t judge ratings based on the show because no one who isn’t watching the show knows any better. But if it is a better show, look for better ratings next year.
Still, until The Academy cuts some of the awards and moves the whole thing into January, they will be chasing history instead of dealing with what motivates viewers in 2009 and beyond.
But me, I am all about being surprised. Dazzle me.
Read the complete post at http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/archives/2009/02/important_news.html