ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURES AND SCIENCES - CRACKDOWN ON OSCAR CAMPAIGNS

ACADEMY AWARDS chiefs have vowed to cut down on aggressive campaigning by film distributors.

FRANK PIERSON, president of the ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES - which gives out the OSCARS - says the academy would be drafting new guidelines soon.

The rules would be in place before the end of the year (03) in a bid to stop unfair campaigning before the 2004 ceremony.

The new legislation will try to stop studios pushing their films too hard to academy members, who are sent elaborate publicity packs and videos of contending films in a bid to sway their judgement.

Pierson says, "This sort of takes the fun out of the issue. This should be a celebration and a party, the whole Oscar thing, and when it begins to get nasty, it takes the edge off for all the participants."