The 2020 Gold Logie awards will have a new way to determine categories
Tom Gleeson’s Gold Logie win caused major upset among big TV names last year. But the shake-up of this year’s awards has nothing to do with the comedian’s controversial win, according to organisers.
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A voting revolution is sweeping the Logies in a bid to ensure our most-loved stars are rightfully recognised on TV’s night of nights.
The streamlined process will cut the public out of shaping the list of nominees — instead asking networks to put forward five names in each of the “Most Popular” categories.
The final list of nominees will be decided based on TV ratings, Nielsen social content rankings and a panel of experts before voting is thrown open to the public for five weeks.
TV Week denies the change was caused by comedian Tom Gleeson’s controversial Gold Logie win last year but the change is expected to end the plague of unlikely names being nominated in major categories in recent years.
Last year’s Gold Logie nominees included Living Room host Amanda Keller; Doctor Doctor star Rodger Corser and The Project host Waleed Aly alongside Gleeson; Neighbours Eve Morey, ABC gardening guru Costa Georgiadis and Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac.
TV Week editor Thomas Woodgate insists the change is not the “Tom Gleeson rule”.
“No not at all. These changes have absolutely nothing to do with Tom’s win,” he said.
Gleeson was criticised for running a campaign to win Gold — then mocking the award during his acceptance speech. There will now be six nominees in each category and seven for the Gold Logie. In a further change there will only be one voting period, not two as in recent years.
Nominations will be announced on May 24. Voting will open the same day and run through to the Logies gala ceremony on the Gold Coast on Sunday, June 28.
A new award, Most Popular Australian Actor or Actress in an International Program, has also been added to the event.
Woodgate said the changes stemmed from listening to the Logie’s audience and modernising the awards.
“Every year after the TV Week Logie Awards we look at ways we can enhance the awards, help the awards move with the times and continue to engage with our fans,” Woodgate said.
“For example we introduced the most outstanding reality program last year for the first time as a representation of the industry moving in that direction.
“I think these changes will generate a lot of excitement and simplify the process for everyone.
“I am keen to emphasize that it is not TV Week picking the nominees, but rather they are selected from that combination of TV ratings and social ratings and the expert panel.”