Oscar Ratings Rebound From Record Low

(NEWSER) - Hugh Jackman’s turn hosting the Oscars reversed a dip in the award show’s sagging ratings, E! Online reports—even if some critics didn’t find much substance. Early Nielsen numbers had 33.6 million viewers for last night’s telecast, up 6% from last year’s Jon Stewart-hosted show—which had the worst numbers on record. “Jackman did his best,” David Hinckley wrote in the New York Daily News. “His mission just wasn’t accomplishable.” More»

After 10 years, an opportunity to fix mistakes: Lowen Liu

(NEWSER) - Slate wants to fix the Oscars—"Academy Awards ceremonies are laughable, even to those of us who love them," the site declares —so it's asking writers and editors to offer up their proposals in advance of the Feb. 26 ceremony. Lowen Liu's idea : Allow for a re-vote on the major categories 10 years later. That would mean that this year, Academy voters could finally make up for the travesty that occurred when A Beautiful Mind won over such "diverse and dazzling" films as English manners mystery Gosford Park and the theatrical Moulin Rouge! More»

Winfrey receiving statuette for humanitarian work

(NEWSER) - Awards season is a long way off, but three Oscar winners have already been announced. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted to give statuettes to Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, and makeup artist Dick Smith, reports E! Online . Winfrey will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic work, while Jones and Smith will receive honorary awards for their outstanding careers. More»

41.3M viewers tune in, highest since 2005

(NEWSER) - Last night's Oscar telecast attracted more viewers than the awards extravaganza has drawn in the last 5 years. Some 41.3 million viewers tuned in to see The Hurt Locker triumph over Avatar, compared to 36.3 for the 2009 show. The all-time high for Oscar viewership also involved James Cameron—55.2 million saw him declare himself "king of the world" as he accepted the Best Picture award for Titanic in 1998, Broadcasting & Cable reports. More»

No more tweens, boring categories, unfunny hosts

(NEWSER) - The Oscars tried really hard for a broader appeal this year—10 best picture nominees! A Neil Patrick Harris appearance!—but even so, Ramin Setoodeh is "having trouble remembering anything that happened during the lethargic 210-minute ceremony." He offers five ways the Oscars can really improve in the future in Newsweek:

• Hire hosts who are actually funny: Joining the now decade-long tradition of hosts who have bombed, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin “opened the show like the old uncles at your family reunion.”