The Academy Awards will be broadcast in HDTV for the first time ever, ABC announced.
"The Academy Awards is the most-watched entertainment special of the year, and ABC is especially delighted to be able to enhance the viewing experience of this great event by offering it in HDTV," said Alex Wallau, president of the ABC Television Network.
The 75th Annual Academy Awards (the "Oscars") special will be March 23 and joins Super Bowl XXXVII, the Stanley Cup, the NBA finals and the 2003-2004 season of "Monday Night Football" as live special events ABC will broadcast in 720p.
ABC currently broadcasts the majority of its primetime schedule, including all of its scripted dramas, comedies and theatrical movies, in HDTV. The 2002-03 primetime HDTV broadcasts, sponsored by Zenith Electronics Corporation, currently bring the network's total HDTV primetime broadcasts to more than 16 hours per week.
Currently, 79 of ABC's owned and affiliated stations are broadcasting digital TV, covering 69 percent of the nation, with 65 of those stations broadcasting in HDTV.
Pittsburgh-based NEP Super Shooters will be the mobile production company for the awards show.
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