• Wired, Thursday, September 25, 2008 11 AM

The Oscar producers apparently hope to avoid the fate of this year's Emmys broadcast, which earned the lowest rating of any Emmy Award show in the last 18 years. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is hiring Bill Condon, writer/director of "Dream Girls," to executive-produce next year's Oscars telecast.

Awards shows in general have lost their luster over the past few years. Critics of the Emmys, including outspoken talk-show host Craig Ferguson, have railed against producers for wasting time on an opening featuring five reality-show hosts, while limiting stage time for comedy legend Don Rickles.

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