New York, New York – If you think watching television coverage of the Winter Olympics 12 hours after events had already concluded is ridiculous, think again. It can get worse.

Today the ABC Network announced that the telecast of this Sunday’s 86th Oscar Awards will be seen 24 hours later on the East Coast.  The network will carry the ceremonies live from The Dolby Theater in Hollywood, but only for viewers on the Pacific Coast.  Viewers in the Mountain and Central time zones will see the recorded telecast at the same time as those on the East Coast — on Monday.

Lately, television networks have come under fire for airing events that happen on the West Coast live to viewers on the East Coast, yet those on the West Coast get to see the events three hours later.

ABC executives explained that the network is making it up to West Coast viewers by giving them the first crack at the Oscars. “For too long, West Coasters have endured spoiler moments when outcomes are already known by East Coast viewers because of the three-hour difference in what is called “prime time TV,” they said.  “For example, television audiences on the East Coast already know who the new American Idol is before the supposedly live show even airs in the West. Yet Idol happens in Hollywood,” they added.