Oscar Rule Change Affects Song Category

According to Entertainment Weekly, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have decided to move the presentation of noncompetitive awards, including honorary Oscars and humanitarian awards, out of the telecast.

Variety reported that the new plan was to present these awards at a separate dinner that should take place in November, several months before the March awards show.

Another change will affect the nominating rules for best original song category.

A press release from the Academy said: "If no song achieves a minimum average score of 8.25 in the nominations voting, there will be no nominees and thus no Oscar presented for the category.

"If only one song achieves the required minimum, it and the song with the next highest score will be deemed the nominees."

The previous Academy rules stated that there could be no more than five but no fewer than three nominees.