The 70th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1997 and took place March 23, 1998, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. This ceremony was noted for their high ratings. During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories. The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC. Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the sixth time, having previously presided over the 62nd, 63rd, 64th, 65th, and 69th ceremonies, and received an Emmy award for his performance.