Awards shows' slip is showing

September 25, 2008 Laurence Mark and Bill Condon hope to reinvigorate the Oscar telecast both creatively and with viewers, but with the Emmys and Oscars hitting record lows this year, the producers face more daunting questions. The lack of broad hits and stars, the ease with which highlights (and lowlights) are later watched on YouTube and the proliferation of awards shows themselves all have taken their toll. "There's a fine line between maintaining the dignity and value of the awards shows as they exist and making them accessible and entertaining to a larger audience," said Gil Cates, who has produced 14 Oscarcasts, including the Jon Stewart-hosted show in February.

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