Jimmy Kimmel has been tagged to host the Academy Awards next February. I doubt this has much to do with his hosting skills and everything to do with his network's new deal with the Motion Picture Academy. It gives ABC much more control over the broadcast and they, of course, decided it would best be used to promote their late night star. Also, Kimmel has the advantage that the telecast is literally across the street from where he does his show.
My own feeling is that the host is largely irrelevant to the ratings of that event. What matters is whether it's a year where people really care who wins Best Picture or Best Actor or Best Actress. Once in a while, they even care who wins Best Director. I'm not sure that any of the films of this year, including those yet to open, are the kind that generate intense loyalty and emotions. We'll see.
I think history has shown that the best Oscar hosts are those who are either Big Movie Stars or Johnny Carson. But there is no more Johnny Carson and I wonder how many Big Movie Stars would risk their Big Movie Stardom on a highly-visible gig that is not what they do best, nor is it one that is really in their control. If I were in charge of picking a host, I'd try to get Kevin Hart, and not just to make sure there'd be a least one black person on the stage. And if I were Kevin Hart's agent, I'd tell him he'd be insane to accept.