ABC Sells Out Oscars Ad Time, Secures TV Rights Through 2014

For those waiting with bated breath for a similar GoDaddy.com commercial controversy to visit the 2005 Academy Awards, ABC advises exhaling now, since such contretemps "ain't gonna happen."

The 77th Academy Awards ceremony will air on ABC this Sunday, February 27 at 8:30 p.m. EST. The network was just given rights to run the show through 2014.

First-time host Chris Rock may provide the only shocks, ABC insiders say. Or perhaps one of the presenters--scheduled to include the likes of Charlize Theron, Renee Zellweger, Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry, Martin Scorsese, Salma Hayek, and Tim Robbins--may spark a moment of spontaneity. But ABC, which has sold out its Oscar ad time at $1.6 million per :30, is certain that ads from such marketers as Anheuser-Busch, American Express, CareerBuilder.com, L'Oreal USA, and JCPenney won't cause a fuss with the audience of the Federal Communications Commission.

ABC has a long-standing policy with its advertisers, which stipulates that "ads must be appropriate to the overall image and dignity of the Academy Awards."

advertisement

advertisement

Next story loading loading..