MUMBAI: Faced with a reduction in audiences the organisers of awards shows on television have been forced to rethink their strategy. Earlier this month the Oscars saw changes including more interactivity.

Now the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is taking steps to overhaul the prime time Emmys telecast. Last year the Emmy's had their lowest ratings in a decade.

The Daily Variety has reported that an Academy committee voted last week to recommend moving several awards from the prime time telecast and into the non-televised Creative Arts Emmy ceremony -- including supporting actor and actress in a TV movie or mini-series, and writing and directing awards for long-form and variety programmes.

The committee also voted to give reality show categories a higher profile on the televised awards show. The TV academy decided to examine ways to change the telecast after last September's Emmy Awards turned in a disappointing performance in the ratings. The academy said its board of governors will study the proposals advanced by last week's committee vote.

The Academy issued a statement saying, "We are in the early stages of evaluation, and there are several steps that need to be undertaken before anything is brought to the board of governors for consideration."

Atas is considering restoring an award for best new television programme. Moving some awards to the creative arts Emmy ceremony in order to shorten the main show also has been raised as a possibility. Awards show expert Tom O'Neil, doesn't feel that the intent is to cut the show's running time, usually about three hours. "What's behind this is the resentment of broadcast networks losing the movie categories to cable. This is an awards show paid for by the broadcast networks, which lose the majority of movie categories to HBO. This is their revenge."