ABC has denied reports that it was in talks with media buyers about the possibility of the writers' strike disrupting the planned telecast of the Oscars, which is broadcast by Sky and the BBC in the UK.
An ABC spokeswoman said: "[The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] is fully committed to doing the show and we have not been out there with contingency plans for advertisers."
However, NBC, broadcaster of the Golden Globes ceremony, has reportedly offered refunds to advertisers that had committed to the awards coverage, which was due to air on Sunday.
Advertisers with Golden Globes commitments included L'Oreal, Kraft, Target, Toyota Motor and General Motors, according to a source cited in the New York Times. Prudential and Citigroup were said to have already withdrawn their commercials for the programme.
NBC reportedly receives between $10m and $15m in advertising revenue from the event.
However, the Globes were cancelled on Monday after actors, including George Clooney agreed to boycott the event, in support of the Writers Guild of America.
The Guild is looking to renegotiate its contract with the motion picture industry, demanding a greater share of profits when TV shows are repurposed as DVDs, mobile downloads and internet streams. The protest began at the start of November.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which writes, produces and owns the Oscars, would be responsible for seeking a waiver from the WGA to let the show go on with union writers.
However, Leslie Unger, Academy spokeswoman, would not say whether producers of the Oscars would seek this waiver.
She said: "We are not talking about what options we might pursue now or in the future. Right now we're moving ahead with plans for our show on February 24."
Pic: © HFPA and 64th Golden Globe Awards
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