AMPAS Revamps Best Original Song Award

The competition for the coveted Oscar has just gotten that much tougher.

According to Daily Variety, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has approved the Music Branch Executive Committee's recommendation that if no songs receive a minimum of 8.25 in nominations voting, the category will be eliminated for that calendar year.

Previously, the rules dictated that there be no more than five but no less than three nominees.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Academy's decision to extend the Best Picture Category from five films to ten, extending studios' chances of marketing a particular film as a "Best Picture nominee" ahead of the awards season, which kicks off in January.

In addition, the Academy has also announced the addition of "Testimonial Awards," including the Irving G. Thalberg Award and Jean Herscholt Humanitarian Award. These will be given out in November--well before the stars come out to the Kodak Theatre in March.

Traditionally, rules are reviewed annually by individual branch and category committees. The Rules Committee then reviews the recommendations before submitting them to the whole Board of Governors for approval.

Academy Award nominations will be announced February 2, 2010.

The 82nd annual Academy Awards presentation will be broadcast live by ABC, Sunday, March 7, 2010.