LOS ANGELES, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Voting for Oscar nominations
was extended by a day after some people reported problems with a
new online voting system, organizers of the movie industry's
coveted awards said Monday.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the
deadline for its 6,000 members to vote on nominations for the
year's best films, performances, directors, screenplay and other
achievements would be extended to Friday, Jan. 4 - 24 hours
after the original Jan. 3 deadline.
"By extending the voting deadline we are providing every
opportunity available to make the transition to online balloting
as smooth as possible," Ric Robertson, chief operating officer
of the academy, said in a statement.
"We're grateful to our global membership for joining us in
this process," Robertson added.
Nominations for the 2013 Oscars will be announced on Jan.
10, setting off weeks of speculation and campaigning by movie
studios and industry pundits before the winners are announced in
Hollywood on Feb. 24.
The academy is using electronic balloting this year for the
first time in its 85-year history but has also said any member
can submit a paper ballot if preferred.
Monday's announcement follows reports of frustration on the
part of some members in logging into the new online system, as
well as some slowness in ballots being returned by both the new
or old method.
A source close to the Academy acknowledged that some members
had experienced problems with forgotten passwords or user names
and that the extended deadline would help in resolving those
issues in this first year.
The deadline to return nominating ballots was pushed forward
by about two weeks this year, leaving the actors, directors,
producers and other academy members less time to view the many
movies opening in December that are vying for Oscar nominations.
Trade website The Hollywood Reporter, which spoke to at
least 10 members of the academy last week, reported that some
had been locked out of the website over password issues, others
found the website confusing, and some were concerned about the
website being hacked and results being leaked.
The academy in December sent all its paid-up members paper
ballots in a precautionary move prompted by what entertainment
website TheWrap.com said was concern about the number of people
who, at that time, had not chosen whether to vote online or on
paper.
Robertson told TheWrap when voting opened on Dec. 17 that
although some members were opposed to online voting, he was
"pleasantly surprised" that more people than he had expected had
registered to vote online.
In the past, Oscar ballots have been mailed around the world
to academy members and the results have been tabulated by hand
by the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm.
The move to electronic voting was seen as speeding up the
process and making it easier to swiftly reach members working or
living overseas. It followed a lengthy consultation with academy
members and officials, and the setting up of a 24-hour support
center to help members use the online system.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)