Oscar makes changes after best picture mix-up

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made some changes in the winner announcement procedure after the best picture mix-up during 89th Oscars.

The academy has taken up a set of new measures to avoid similar mishaps in the future including stationing a third accountant who will know the winners in advance, and will be able to alert the show's director if there is a mistake.

Electronic devices will also be banned backstage after it was revealed one of the accountants in charge of handing the enveloping containing the name of the best picture winner to the award presenters had been tweeting immediately before the flop. It was the biggest mistake in the history of the show.

There will also be a rehearsal for possible onstage issues and the Academy will add improvements to onstage envelope category verification next year.

The academy has spared PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which has been responsible for tallying and safeguarding Oscar votes and results for the past 83 years, in addition to doing the Academy's taxes, and will continue to work with the firm.

Brian Cullinan and Martha Ruiz with PwC handed out the wrong envelope to the presenters of the Best Picture winner, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. The envelope that was given to the presenters contained the duplicate card for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Emma Stone for La La Land, which resulted in the wrong announcement by Dunaway.

In an immediate statement, PwC took “full responsibility for the series of mistakes and breaches of established protocols.”

The Academy previously announced that Cullinan and Ruiz will not be invited back to the show.

The 89th Academy Awards was held at Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center on Sunday, February 26, 2017. The event was hosted by Late-night talk show host, producer and comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

HY/HY