The number of movies nominated for the best picture Oscar will double next year, a move apparently aimed at bolstering sagging ratings for the Academy Awards broadcast. “Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize,” Sid Ganis, president of the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said. Doubling the nominations would make it more likely a viewer’s favorite movie is in the running for the top honor, which may make them want to watch the show, said Steve Pond, author of “The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards.” “This clearly is a reaction to declining ratings,” Pond said.
