For more than eight decades, the annual Academy Awards® have been a symbol of Hollywood glamour, prestige and talent. ABC’s involvement with the Oscars® dates back to 1976 when the network gained exclusive rights to the broadcast (a deal that now extends through 2020). Since then, ABC had partnered with the Academy on domestic and international broadcasts, Oscars.com and now, the Oscars App.
From the Academy Award nominations announcement on January 10 right up through the awards ceremony this Sunday, ABC’s official Oscars App is the one-stop destination for all things Oscars. Developed by the Academy and Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media Team, the Oscars App provides viewers with unparalleled access to the stars and the ceremony.
“From the movie trailers to the latest information about the nominees, it’s everything you need to get excited about the Oscars before the awards ceremony even starts,” Karin Gilford, senior vice president, Digital Media, ABC.com, says. “The app is Oscars central.”
In addition to the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, the official Oscars App is now available for free on all Android 4.0 devices in Google Play, including Samsung’s Galaxy Note® II and Galaxy Note® 10.1, as well as the new Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD.
This year’s edition of the Oscars App—the network’s third—brings back the hugely popular interactive My Picks ballot. “Using My Picks, you can vote along just like an Academy member and choose who you think is going to win in every category,” Karin explains. “Through Facebook, you can see what your friends have voted for and challenge them as well. It gets competitive!”
Beginning Oscar Sunday, Oscar.com will launch Backstage Pass, giving fans unparalleled access to the show itself. “If you do not have the app downloaded and open on the night of the event, you’re really missing out,” Karin says. “The app really comes alive in a way you’ve never seen before on Oscars night.”
Watch the 85th Academy Awards live on Oscar Sunday, February 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center, only on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET.