Oscars Ratings: 18 Million Viewers, Third Lowest-Rated Telecast Ever [Updated]

UPDATED: The trades are now saying 18 million viewers tuned in. Earlier estimates had it at 16 million. From The Wrap:

The early number, which only includes broadcast figures, will likely see an increase after accounting for out-of-home viewership and streaming. The final live plus same-day figures are expected to be available Monday afternoon.

EARLIER: Last year, around 16.6 million Americans watched the Academy Awards ceremony. Oscar viewership tends to fluctuate year by year, however the last time the ceremony drew in a U.S. audience of more than 40 million was in 2014.

Initial numbers from last night’s ceremony have come in and it’s slightly better than last year’s viewership: 18 million tuned in. Although not anything resembling numbers from even five years ago, it’s the de facto biggest ratings for any awards show this season.

Fact of the matter is that the Oscars have been on a downward spiral for, at least, a decade now. Last year’s ceremony was the second least-watched telecast in the show's history, or at least since they started gathering up the Neilson numbers.

Here’s ratings data:

Even if you don’t count 2021’s pandemic-set, and very strange, Soderbergh-directed ceremony, Oscar ratings have been consistently going down on a yearly basis.

Now, for the good news, at least ratings aren’t down, it’s stable, it helped that you had blockbusters like “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Top Gun: Maverick” nominated, but chances are we won’t get the two highest grossers nominated for Best Picture next year.

So, the Oscars still matter, a tad, for now …