Documentaries on TV sooner

Oscar-qualifying rules for documentaries have been relaxed to allow quicker television broadcasts of films that have met theatrical exhibition requirements of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The new rules apply for the 2005 Academy Awards year.

Documentaries have become increasingly popular among the moviegoing public in recent years, due in large part to broader exposure in theaters. Pay cable networks HBO and Showtime finance a significant number of documentaries, many of which achieve critical acclaim and do good business in theaters, but the networks have had to wait nine months before broadcasting the films to subscribers because of Academy Awards rules. The rules also sometimes hindered sales of independently financed documentaries to television outlets.

The rule change announced Wednesday reduces the “blackout” period between a documentary’s theatrical release and its airing on TV or over the Internet from nine to six months. This means filmmakers and, in many cases, the networks that foot the bill for the documentaries will be able to take advantage of theatrical exposure and receive a TV return on their investment more quickly without the risk of being disqualified from Oscar consideration.