It’s time to start the 2009 award show season.

VH1 this week announced that the 14th annual “Critics’ Choice Awards” will appear live on Jan. 8, the first major awards telecast in the new year.

The show, televised from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, honors the best movies of the year as selected by the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

“The BFCA was blown away by VH1’s steadfast commitment to the Critics’ Choice Awards under such trying circumstances last year, and its sensational creative team helped us deliver a great show in the middle of a crippling strike,” said Joey Berlin, president of the BFCA and executive producer of the awards show.

“Despite the challenges presented by the writers strike earlier this year, the BFCA and Joey Berlin literally moved heaven and earth with us to produce the first must-attend event of the awards season filled with Hollywood’s A-listers,” said Tom Calderone, executive VP and general manager, VH1. “We can’t wait to create an even bigger show this time around.”

The BFCA said it frequently picks nominees and winners that go on to garner more Academy Award nominations and wins than any of the other movie awards shows. In 2008, the “Critics’ Choice Awards” foretold 16 of the 20 Oscar nominees in the acting categories and all five of the Academy Award nominees for best picture. Since 1999, the BFCA has correctly predicted 48 of 50 Oscar nominees in the best picture category.

The BFCA also announced the timeline for its awards. Nomination ballots go out to members Dec. 1, with the nominees named Dec. 9. Final ballots go to BFCA members Jan. 5 and must be returned by Jan 7.

The 14th annual “Critics’ Choice Awards” will be executive produced by Bob Bain for Bob Bain Productions and Mr. Berlin for Berlin Entertainment. Lee Rolontz is executive producer for VH1.