Seeking Viewers, Oscars Ask Presenters To Skip Red Carpet

“What if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences threw an Oscar show and not everyone came . . . early? With last year’s audience for the telecast at a historic low of 32 million, the academy has devised a new strategy for enticing more viewers on Feb. 22: Ask presenters to eschew the pre-show red carpet so people will tune in to see who’s handing out the awards — or at least to get a look at what they’re wearing.”