Oscar Has New Advertising Rules

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wants a crackdown on negative ads that bash the competition to prep for The Academy Awards. The ban comes as a cleanup that "prohibits specific and disparaging references to other pictures or individuals competing in a given category in ads, mailings, Web sites or other forms of campaign communication." Critics say the new rule is a direct response to last year's DreamWorks ad promoting Shoreh Aghdashloo and seemingly taking a slap at Renee Zellweger.