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Oscars TV audience shrinks 9% in US from last year

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  • Mar 22
  • 1 min read

By Reuters

March 18, 20268:09 AM GMT+7Updated March 18, 2026

An Oscar statue stands at the bottom of the staircase leading into Dolby theatre the night prior to the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 14, 2026. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Purchase Licensing Rights
An Oscar statue stands at the bottom of the staircase leading into Dolby theatre the night prior to the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 14, 2026. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Purchase Licensing Rights

LOS ANGELES, March 17 (Reuters) - The Academy Awards telecast attracted 17.9 million ​U.S. viewers, a 9% decrease from the ‌previous year and the lowest since 2022, according to Nielsen data released by broadcaster ABC ​on Tuesday.


The figure for Sunday's show ​reflected viewing on ABC and on the ⁠streaming service Hulu. Both are owned ​by Walt Disney (DIS.N), opens new tab.


Hollywood handed the best picture prize ​to darkly comic thriller "One Battle After Another" during the more than three-hour-long ceremony. Comedian Conan O'Brien hosted ​for the second year in a row.


Viewership ​for awards shows has been declining for years as ‌TV ⁠audiences have shifted to streaming and social media.


ABC said social impressions for the Oscars increased 42% this year over 2025 to ​more than 184 ​million.

The ⁠highest-rated Academy Awards telecast aired in 1998, when megahit "Titanic" swept the ​honors. More than 57 million people ​tuned ⁠in that year.


In 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oscar ratings hit their low point ⁠with ​10.5 million viewers. The ​Oscars ceremony will be moving from ABC to YouTube (GOOGL.O), opens new tab in 2029.


Reporting ​by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Cynthia Osterman



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