The 95th Academy Awards, held on Sunday, saw a slight increase in viewership compared to last year’s show, according to preliminary numbers released by ABC. The ceremony was viewed by an estimated 18.7 million people, a 12% rise from the 16.6 million who tuned in last year. However, this figure is still low compared to most years.
The Oscars’ decline in viewership has been a persistent issue, with the show’s main competitor, HBO, capitalizing on the shift towards streaming. The season finale of The Last Of Us pulled in 8.2 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, demonstrating the attractiveness of original content on cable networks.
The 2023 Oscars, however, featured a more diverse range of films, including two billion-dollar blockbuster sequels, Top Gun Maverick and Avatar: The Way Of Water, both nominated for best picture. The winning film, A24’s Everything Everywhere All At Once, also had significant box office success.
Oscars 2023
Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the show, brought his signature humor to the ceremony, which also featured performances from pop stars Rihanna and Lady Gaga. The show boasted 27.4 million total social interactions across various platforms, making it the number one trending topic on Twitter worldwide.
Despite the decline in broadcast television viewership, the Oscars still drew a significant audience. However, the show’s producers, including Glenn Weiss, acknowledged that the ceremony celebrated films that may not have wide appeal. Weiss discussed his goal of creating a show that would be talked about, stating, “I think we did accomplish that. I sure hope that (Monday) delivers good news in the ratings front, but either way, I think it was a successful evening.”
