Nominees Rami Malek and Olivia Coleman will attend the awards ceremony this year (Image: GETTY)
The decision has sparked outcry and accusations the Academy was disrespecting workers in the disciplines involved in the axed awards categories. The change comes as the Academy bids to cut the ceremony down to three hours from almost four in 2018 and claw back declining viewing figures by appealing to a younger audience. Ratings for last year's telecast fell to an all-time low of 26.5 million viewers in the US, almost 20 percent down from the previous year.
It will also be the first time in 30 years the Oscars ceremony has gone ahead without a host after Kevin Hart stepped down following a row over homophobic tweets
Instead star presenters will be relied upon to keep the proceedings moving along, including Daniel Craig, Jennifer Lopez and Chadwick Boseman.
A new award category was being designed around achievement in popular film, which swiftly drew criticism from industry experts and actors, including Rob Lowe.
The West Wing star said: "The film business passed away today with the announcement of the 'popular' film Oscar.
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