I'm flying to California on March 4, and am interested in watching the Academy Awards that evening. On the East coast, where I live, they always broadcast them live during prime time. In California, do they broadcast them live, which is pretty early, or do they delay the broadcast until prime time?

Just about everything on the west coast, including the Oscars, is tape delayed 3 hours.

They broadcast at primetime. So I think it's either 6 or 7 pm on a Sunday.
For example, the Grammy's taped here in CA at 5 pm, and live for you at 8 pm on the East Coast. We also saw them on TV at prime time/ 8pm PT. So you see these award shows live (or 10 second censor delay), and we see them 3 hours later.

Every broadcast is on tape delay after the wardrobe malfunction incident, even if it's "live" there is still few seconds delay in case somebody misbehaves.

You can check the TV guide on-line, type the zip code of your hotel, and go to the desired date.

The pre-show will air at 4pm and the Academy Awards will air at 5pm on our local channel 7, ABC.

Not sure how to tell you this....

The Academy Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, March 5 - not Saturday, March 4. And they will be live from right here on the West Coast, no tape delay. In fact, I've never recalled a tape delay regarding the Academy Awards.

Broadcast times for the Academy Awards: 5PT/8ET.

You can watch the red carpet arrivals at 3pm on various stations and on ABC.

Thanks, everyone - I guess I was off by a day, but I knew they were that weekend. If they air that early, I'm certainly not going to give up any sightseeing to sit around and watch TV; I was hoping they might be on later in the evening. Although it's fun to watch who wins, I was mainly interested in seeing how Jon Stewart does as the host - I think he's very funny, and I'm a big fan.

And sorry from me too. I got the Oscars and the Grammy's mixed up, LOL

Yeah the Oscars are one event that's live even on the west coast, the tv coverage starts around 3pm and the actual show at 5pm.

Oscars are currently on display at the Hollywood and Highland center near the Chinese Theatre. I think you can get your photo taken with an oscar.

The night before the Oscars, you can walk around Hollywood & Highland and see the lights being set up etc. You can even walk the red carpet and might even see a star coming in or out of rehearsal.

Oscars are always live on the West Coast. The network makes up for the time shifts with Barbara Walters. On the East Coast her special is shown before the awards - and on the West Coast we get it after the awards.

Oh - duh -- I knew that. Just about everything except NFL/NBA/MLB, AND the Oscars are tape delayed out here.

Just momentary brain fade.

Thanks for the suggestions, tracys2cents, and that would be fun if I were going to be in L.A., but I'm going to San Francisco.