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Representatives of the Time’s Up campaign declined to comment. Two people involved with the effort, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said on Wednesday that the group was talking with producers about having an in-show presence. But details were still in flux.
The campaign has also decided, these people said, not to ask stars to wear black — although a Time’s Up label pin would be appreciated — and that there was no coordinated effort for actresses to bring activists as guests, as there was at the Golden Globes. Some celebrity supporters will probably use red-carpet interviews to raise awareness for the Time’s Up legal defense fund. About $21 million has been raised so far.
At the same time, the red carpet preshows are tacking back toward their sweet spots. Jennifer Neal, an E! executive vice president, said in an email that “viewers enjoyed hearing more about the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements” at the Golden Globes, “but they also expressed wanting to hear about other subjects as well, including fashion and entertainment, so we’re looking to balance this out in our live coverage” at the Oscars.
Attempts to keep the Oscars on the sunnier side reflect ratings concern inside ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Most people watch award shows for the glamour. Whenever stars use the platform to support progressive causes and make political statements, large numbers of viewers turn the channel, according to academy insiders, who cite minute-by-minute Nielsen data for past shows.
Live television viewing has been waning for years, but ratings have lately tumbled for award shows as they have tested the public’s tolerance for mixing serious causes with frothy self-celebration. Despite intense media attention on the black attire of attendees, ratings for the 75th Golden Globes in January dipped 5 percent compared with last year’s telecast. Viewership for the Screen Actors Guild Awards plummeted 30 percent, hurt in part by competition from football, while the Grammy Awards, which included a high-profile sketchskewering President Trump, plunged 24 percent.
