The director William Friedkin said that the Academy Awards is “the greatest promotion scheme that any industry ever devised for itself,” and he is correct. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an organization of film industry professionals, schedules its awards show every year to occur in the spring. The Academy gives out the awards, called Oscars, for the best performances, scripts, songs, films, and technical advances from the preceding year. The Academy names its own nominees. Its members vote on these nominees. The Academy tabulates these votes and announces the winner. There are many opportunities for fraud or promotion. In fact, the nominees often campaign for an award because the status increases ticket and video sales.
There have been over 80 annual award shows. The Academy has not missed a year since 1929. In 1981, the Academy postponed the show for one day out of respect for then President Ronald Reagan who was recovering after a failed assassination attempt.
Those 80 years have seen many questionable films win awards that did not hold up to the test of time. In fact, many critics claim that certain members of the film community determine the winners well ahead of time. While these critics will never be able to prove their claim, it makes sense because the Academy developed the awards as a publicity campaign.
2
Which of the following represents an ethical appeal made by the author?
A.
"The Academy gives out the awards, called Oscars, for the best performances, scripts, songs, films, and technical advances from the preceding year."
B.
"The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an organization of film industry professionals, schedules its awards show every year to occur in the spring."
C.
"In 1981, the Academy postponed the show for one day out of respect for then President Ronald Reagan who was recovering after a failed assassination attempt."
D.
"The director William Friedkin said that the Academy Awards is 'the greatest promotion scheme that any industry ever devised for itself,' and he is correct."