Next year's Oscars ceremony will accept movie ads, following the overturning of a 50-year ban we didn't realize existed. The ads have been disallowed since the ceremony was first televised in the early fifties, with the logic being viewers would assume studios paying had an undue influence on the awards. But with viewership dropping — this year only 32 million tuned in, a record low — the Academy is looking to scare up some cash and caved in by vote earlier this week. There are going to be restrictions: Each studio is allowed to buy only one spot, and only for movies to be released after the last Friday in April. Minutes after the ban was repealed, a motion to begin broadcasting the ceremony in color was introduced.

Oscars will take movie ads, ending 50-year ban [LAT]