LOS ANGELES — The latest Academy Awards ceremony attracted significant viewership, reflecting a resurgence in interest for smaller films. Over the weekend, the 97th Oscars drew approximately 19.7 million viewers, marking the largest audience for the event in five years, according to ABC’s reports.
This year’s standout film, "Anora," which took home five Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture, contributed to the increased viewership. Despite competing against blockbuster hits like "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie," whose presence last year brought in 19.5 million viewers, the awards still managed to captivate a sizable audience.
Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the ceremony featured numerous nominations for the hit musical "Wicked," along with a lively opening performance by its stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Although the film only secured awards for its production design and costumes, the buzz contributed to the overall excitement of the evening. Notably, the show particularly engaged younger viewers aged 18 to 49, benefiting from increased viewing on mobile devices and laptops. In fact, ABC noted that the ceremony was the most-watched primetime entertainment event of the year, reminding us of the Oscars’ enduring appeal.
However, it’s important to recognize that these numbers come after the show reached a disheartening low during the pandemic. Viewership for other live events has also changed dramatically, making it unlikely that the Oscars will return to the viewer counts of the past. In 1998, for example, 55 million people tuned in to see "Titanic" dominate the awards, and it wasn’t until 2018 that the show dropped below 30 million viewers. The drastic decline continued with just 9.85 million viewers in 2021. There was a slight recovery in 2022, aided by the infamous incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock, which drew 16.6 million viewers.
Additionally, this year’s Oscars faced technical difficulties when Hulu’s live stream ended prematurely, causing many viewers to miss key moments, such as Mikey Madison winning Best Actress and "Anora" being named Best Picture.
Despite these challenges, the Oscars continue to outperform other major awards shows, with its nearly 20 million viewers far exceeding the 15.4 million who tuned in to watch the Grammys. Overall, this year’s ceremony showcases the Oscars’ resilience and its capacity to adapt to changing times while still captivating audiences.
