Viewership of Oscars telecast drops 16 percent to 36.6 million

[Purveyor]

(Reuters) - Sunday's Academy Awards telecast on the ABC network drew 16 percent fewer viewers than last year, Nielsen figures showed, in what could be due to what critics deemed a long, lackluster show and narrow box office appeal among most of the top nominees.

Nielsen data on Monday showed viewership of 36.6 million, a worrisome drop for Walt Disney Co's ABC since the program is its biggest annual draw.

ABC banked on actor Neil Patrick Harris, who has earned plaudits as host of TV's Emmy Awards and theater's Tony Awards, to build on the momentum of comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who helped last year's show attract 43.7 million viewers, its biggest audience since 2000.

The Academy Awards show annually attracts the biggest non-sports TV audience in the United States, but the show this year drew the lowest viewership since 2009.

more...

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/02/23/us-awards-oscars-ratings-idINKBN0LR1YG20150223

[TexasProgresive]

1. We watched Downton Abbey and Grantchister

Don't get much out of awards shows.

[KamaAina]

3. It almost went down 16.1 percent

Mom's cable went out earlier in the day. Time to hit the panic button! Fortunately, a major crisis was averted when it came back on around 4:30 or 5 Eastern.

[B Calm]

5. Watching them pat theirselves on the back don't do anything for me either.

[Purveyor]

6. I only checked in a couple of times and there was nothing there that held my

interest. I haven't started on Downton yet this season as I missed the first two episodes and don't want to jump in at the middle.

Someday soon...

[SMC22307]

10. Same here. Certain story lines of Downton are annoying me (Edith!)...

but wow, Grantchester was good.

[still_one]

2. I haven't watched the oscars for over a decade.

[joeybee12]

4. I can't recall the last time I watched the Oscars...I think when Susan Sarandon won...

Because I really like her. I also really like Julianne Moore, but since she was a shoe-in, I figured I'd read about it instead.

[bigwillq]

7. OMG!

We actually like the same people for once.

I love Sarandon. And I love Moore.

[joeybee12]

13. What have you done with bigwillq?????!!!

You've kidnapped him!!!!

[bigwillq]

15. They traded bigwillq for EDWARD SNOWDEN.

I'm free!!!!!!!!!!!111111111 (Snowden voice)

[Blue_Tires]

8. Haven't watched the Oscars since 1997

and that was because my college roommate insisted on watching the entire show (we almost came to blows over it)

[jberryhill]

9. 2014 Movie Attendance Hits 20 Year Low

Movie attendance is dropping. No surprise fewer people care which movie they haven't seen wins a masturbatory award from the people who make movies.


http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/02/2014-movie-theater-declines/

If you noticed a little more elbow room while you were at the movies last year, it probably wasn't the result of recliner chairs at your cineplex. As The Hollywood Reporter tells it, only about 1.26 billion folks bought movie tickets between New Year's Day and New Year's Eve in 2014 -- the lowest ticket sales figures have been since 1995 (1.21 billion sold). It's a six percent decrease compared to 2013, as well, when the number of tickets sold amounted to 1.34 billion butts in seats. THR also reports that in terms of dollars, sales dropped compared to last year too, seeing a five percent decline, which apparently is the biggest year-to-year fall in almost a decade.

[bigwillq]

11. I watch most movies at home on-line.

Much, much cheaper this way. Didn't read the article, so not sure if it mentions reasons why attendance hit a low, but going to the movies is so expensive.

[PADemD]

16. I prefer to watch movies at home, too.

I can use close captioning and pause the movie for bathroom breaks. Besides, it's a lot cheaper; and I don't have to drive 12 miles to the nearest theater.

The last movie I saw was Gone Girl, and the background music was so loud that I couldn't hear what the characters were saying.

[Major Hogwash]

12. One reason might be because this year's Oscar Awards ceremony was . . .

. . . the whitest Oscars in almost 45 years!

Not one black actor/actress was nominated for an award.

[onenote]

19. 45 years? Really?

What about 1998? I'm sure there are a few other "very white" years between 2015 and 1970.

[JI7]

14. too many award shows

[global1]

17. After All The Other Award Shows That Preceded The Academy Awards That Basically Honored The.....

same people and movies (even though NPH did a fine job hosting) this Academy Awards show was anticlimactic. The show ran over as well and was just too long.

The Academy Award nominated songs aren't even of the quality of the old winners - like Moon River, Evergreen, The Morning After, The Way We Were, Born Free, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, The Shadow Of Your Smile, Days of Wine And Roses, Three Coins In A Fountain, etc.

All in all it was quite a boring show.

[wilt the stilt]

22. Here is the song that deserved to win

my favorite movie of the year. Great movie about a strong woman.

Begin again watch it and you will see why it deserved the best song.

[GuntherGebelWilliams]

18. Used to look forward to Bob Hope and later Johnny Carson

Haven't watched much since.

[Art_from_Ark]

20. The Academy Awards were just on?

Darn! Missed 'em again!

[lpbk2713]

21. Harris' atempts at humor missed the mark.

He obviously annoyed Octavia Spencer.

[dilby]

23. My theory is that 30 years ago Americans thought someday they too will be like

those in Hollywood, you work hard enough and you too can be rich. Today, Americans know the game and don't really want to watch a bunch of 1%-ers congratulate themselves as they make outrageous salaries and charge way to much to watch their garbage. I mean the gift basket was worth more than the average American family makes in 3 years.