MUMBAI: Television personality Barbara Walters’ 25th annual Academy Awards special will air on 1 March 2006 on US broadcaster ABC.
The special will air five days prior to the Oscars, as the Academy Awards are scheduled to begin 30 minutes earlier than in years past. Walters says, “I am very pleased that the special will be seen across the country at the same time of night. And being seen earlier in the week gives us much more flexibility than in the past in terms of guests,”
ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson says, “We have been wanting to expand the celebration of the Oscars for some time, and moving Barbara’s special to Wednesday as part of our strategy for the February Sweep makes it the true national kick-off event for the Awards broadcast. Her specials are always star studded and glamorous, now they’ll signal that even more is on the way.” 
In India the Oscars will air on Star Movies on 6 March 2006. Should the Indian entry Morning Raaga be nominated in the foreign film category one can expect viewership to go up.