The 96th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, saw a slight uptick in viewership compared to recent years, drawing an estimated 19.5 million viewers. This marks the largest audience for the telecast in four years but is only a 4% increase from last year's numbers. The ceremony aired on ABC and featured popular films such as "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," which contributed to the increase in viewership.
The decision to start the show an hour earlier and the inclusion of nominations for blockbuster movies like "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" likely played a role in attracting more viewers. The peak viewership occurred in the final half-hour of the show, during which Ryan Gosling performed a song from "Barbie," Cillian Murphy won best actor for "Oppenheimer," and Emma Stone took home the award for best actress in a competitive category.
Despite the success of films like "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" at the box office, the Oscars did not see a significant increase in ratings. In previous years, the Oscars were one of the most-watched television events of the year, but viewership has declined steadily since 2014. The pandemic further impacted ratings, with a record low of 9.85 million viewers in 2021. However, this year's show saw a slight rebound with 19.5 million viewers tuning in.
While the Oscars experienced a modest increase in viewership this year, it remains to be seen if this trend will continue in the future. The Academy and ABC may need to consider new strategies to attract a larger audience in the coming years.