OSCAR FINALS: The accelerated final ratings for the Oscar telecast have been released, and the 18-49 rating climbed only to 9.1, a record-setting low (and an ugly 1.4 lower than 2016). There were 32.9M total viewers, which just managed to dodge 2008’s record low of 32M. We’ll see in the months to come whether these numbers lead to any changes in the 2018 edition of the awards.
As detailed in Mitch Metcalf’s special Oscars post, the most insane ACADEMY AWARDS in history did nothing to stop the show’s downward trend in 18-49 ratings, since no one could possibly know what was going to happen at the end. Preliminary numbers are down a full point from 2016 to 8.7, and although that number will come up in finals, it’s still likely to end up in the mid-9s, compared to last year’s final 10.5. If Jimmy Kimmel weren’t ABC’s in-house signature talent, he probably wouldn’t be back to host, but the network may insist on his return. As of now, the OSCARS OPENING CEREMONY pre-show is at 5.2, but that will come down in finals.
None of the networks attempted to counterprogram the Oscars, and the highest competing ratings were a set of 0.9s from animated reruns on FOX.
ABC plugged its miniseries WHEN WE RISE heavily during the ceremony, and with good reason, because it’s a very big swing: the network is preempting most of its primetime schedule for the week for an 8-hour miniseries (plus a 1-hour documentary) about the LGBT movement. Among its challenges will be facing off with NBC’s cycle premiere of THE VOICE and the series premiere of TAKEN tonight.
DEMOGRAPHIC DETAIL: For each broadcast program (or hour segment), the chart below displays preliminary key advertiser demographics (adult 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 ratings), audience skews (women 18-49, men 18-49 and adults 50+ shares) and total viewership (thousands of people over the age of 2).
COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR NIGHTS: Preliminary adult 18-49 ratings versus the same night last year and same night last week.
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