The broadcast of the Academy Awards, always the most watched entertainment show on television, will move to Sunday night next year and will begin a half-hour earlier, at 8:30 P.M. Eastern standard time.
ABC announced the change as part of its new long-term agreement with the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences, which will keep the program on ABC through 2008. ABC had previously owned the rights through 2000.
No terms were announced, but the program, which was seen this year by a record 87 million Americans, is second only to the Super Bowl as an annual event, and Robert A. Iger, the president of ABC, who negotiated the deal said, ''We paid a very handsome price.''
He said the increase in the fee was significant but that it was ''well worth it to lock up one of television's crown jewel events.''
The bidding was extremely competitive, he said, though he would not disclose which other networks were involved. One senior executive said that the Turner Broadcasting Company had made a large bid.
ABC also announced that it would include a new half-hour ''Arrivals'' show at 8 P.M. to chronicle the scene outside the arena as stars arrive. ''There's always been a lot of interest in that part of the event,'' Mr Iger said. ''And until now we've left that to others to cover.''
As for Barbara Walters, who has been the host of a celebrity interview show before the Oscar telecast, she will move her hourlong special to 7 that Sunday night, Mr. Iger said.
''Moving to Sunday has a lot of advantages,'' he said, noting that there were more viewers available on Sunday night than on Monday night, when the show has traditionally been broadcast.
Mr. Iger also said that ABC would like to help create an ''Academy Awards weekend,'' along the lines of Super Bowl weekend. BILL CARTER
