Oscars producers re-hired for 2014 show

The producers of this year's Academy Awards, musical veterans Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, have been re-hired for the 2014 show, AFP reports citing Oscars organizers. The pair, who have produced a long list of musical hits including 2002's Oscar-winning film, "Chicago," will again be the behind-the-scenes gurus for next year's show on March 2. This year's show on February 24 produced a boost in TV ratings, including for the coveted young demographic, despite criticism of some of "Family Guy" creator host Seth MacFarlane's less mature jokes. "Craig and Neil have the overwhelming support of the Academy's Governors to produce the Oscars again in 2014," said Hawk Koch, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "In order to establish continuity with this year's enormously successful show, we felt it was important to give these consummate professionals the green light now to begin creating another great evening." Zadan and Meron, whose credits also include hit 2007 film "Hairspray," 2011's "Footloose" as well as multiple TV credits, said: "We are very honored to have been asked to return as Oscar producers for a second year. "We look forward to creating a distinctive and entertaining show," they added. The Oscars show, the climax of Hollywood's annual awards season, has had a few ups and downs in the last few years, hosting and production wise. In 2011 duo Anne Hathaway and James Franco, chosen to draw young TV viewers, were widely panned, while last year veteran host Billy Crystal was drafted in at the last minute after comic Eddie Murphy pulled out amid a gay slur row.