Audio Video News

Consumers have lost another forum to express their opinions about the year's best films: Blockbuster says it has decided to cancel next year's Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. The company says that the ceremony, originally scheduled for next April in Los Angeles, has fallen victim to the economic uncertainties generated by the September 11 terrorist attacks and an overall sluggish market.

Blockbuster released a statement saying that "due to the uncertainty of the times, we can't predict consumer response to our show, nor audience behavior—especially media viewing habits—all of which are being affected by world events." The program had been running annually for seven years, and allowed Blockbuster's customers to vote for their favorite films and actors in several categories.

Blockbuster cites the twice-delayed, and poorly watched, Emmy Awards as a key factor influencing its decision. A company spokesperson explained, "We wouldn't want to have to cancel the show, and the issue of having enough celebrities in attendance is also a problem."

Despite next year's cancellation, Blockbuster says it may revive the program in 2003, although the movie industry seems skeptical that once stalled, the awards will be able to bring themselves up to critical mass again. Last year's event, which was taped at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and then aired April 11 on Fox during prime time, suffered a loss in viewership over previous years.