Oscars viewership drop 9 percent during Conan O’Brien’s second year as host
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The 98th Academy Awards, held on Sunday, March 15, saw a decline in television viewership despite remaining the most-watched primetime entertainment telecast of the season.
The ceremony aired on ABC and streamed on Hulu, drawing widespread attention, especially for major films such as 'Anora' and 'Sinners.' However, audience numbers reflected a broader trend affecting awards shows.
Viewership decline and broadcast trends at Oscars
The 98th Oscars, hosted by comedian and television host Conan O’Brien, recorded just under 17.9 million viewers, marking a 9% decline from the previous year’s 19.7 million audience. The drop was more pronounced among adults aged 18–49, with viewership falling by 14%.
Despite the decline, the ceremony remained the top primetime entertainment telecast of the 2025–2026 season. The broadcast aired live on ABC and was simultaneously streamed on Hulu, reflecting the industry’s increasing reliance on digital platforms.
Comparisons with other award shows show a similar pattern: the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards each saw a 7% drop from the previous year.
While traditional ratings declined, alternative engagement metrics increased. Social media impressions rose by more than 42%, and the Academy recorded over 129 million video views across its platforms during the broadcast.
Historically, the Oscars have experienced fluctuating viewership. The ceremony reached a peak of 57.2 million viewers in 1998 when Titanic won best picture, while the pandemic-era low came in 2021 with 10.4 million viewers.
Disney still has two years remaining on its Oscars deal with broadcasts set to continue on ABC and Hulu in 2027 and 2028 before the Academy’s new agreement with YouTube begins with the 101st ceremony in 2029 and runs through at least 2033.
Oscars face glitches and unexpected sports competition
The telecast was affected by audio glitches and other technical issues, though it did not face the streaming problems that disrupted last year’s ceremony, the first to be live-streamed on Hulu. It also cut off a couple of winners' speeches while allowing some scripted segments to run longer than intended.
Oscar organizers also pushed the ceremony to a later date this year to avoid a scheduling clash with the Winter Olympics held in February.
However, another sporting event created unexpected competition. The awards coincided with a World Baseball Classic semifinal between the United States and the Dominican Republic, with the broadcast on FS1 and Fox Deportes drawing 7.37 million viewers, the largest audience ever for a WBC game in the US.
The awards ceremony, though, featured a competitive showdown between two Warner Bros. films, 'One Battle After Another' and 'Sinners.' The former secured major wins, including best picture and best director.
Actor Michael B Jordan won best actor for his role in 'Sinners,' a film that made history with 16 nominations. Despite its strong presence, it also set a record for the most losses by a single film, with 12.
