Oscars Ratings Retreat: 98th Academy Awards Draw 17.9 Million Viewers, Smallest Audience Since 2022
LOS ANGELES — The glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest night failed to keep the momentum of recent years alive. According to Nielsen fast-national data, the 98th Academy Awards telecast on ABC and Hulu drew an average of 17.9 million viewers on Sunday night, marking a significant 9 percent decline from the 2025 ceremony.
A Reversal of Fortune
The 17.9 million figure represents the lowest viewership for the Oscars since 2022, effectively ending a three-year streak of ratings growth for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. After rebounding from the pandemic-era all-time low of 10.4 million in 2021, the telecast had seen a steady climb, peaking last year at 19.5 million viewers.
Industry analysts point to several factors for the dip, including a lack of high-stakes “blockbuster” narratives among the top categories. While the 2024 and 2025 ceremonies benefited from cultural phenomena like Oppenheimer and Barbie, this year’s slate of nominees—though critically acclaimed—did not seem to ignite the same level of mainstream fervor.
Streaming and Digital Shifts
Despite the decline in traditional linear viewership, the Academy and ABC highlighted a silver lining in digital engagement. The telecast, which was simulcast on Hulu for the second consecutive year, saw a marginal increase in streaming minutes. However, these digital gains were not enough to offset the double-digit percentage drop in traditional broadcast viewing.
Social media engagement also remained high, with clips of the ceremony’s musical performances and host monologues garnering millions of views within hours. Yet, the challenge remains for the Academy: how to convert viral social media moments into “appointment viewing” for a three-hour-plus live broadcast.
Competition and Format Fatigue
The 2026 telecast faced stiff competition from a shifting media landscape. With the rise of short-form content and the continued fragmentation of the audience, live events that aren’t NFL games are finding it increasingly difficult to cross the 20-million-viewer threshold. Even with a prompt start time and a streamlined production, the ceremony struggled to maintain its audience through the final categories of the night.
Critics noted that while the production was polished, the format may be suffering from a sense of predictability. “The Oscars are caught between two worlds,” said one media consultant. “They want to maintain the prestige of the ‘Old Hollywood’ tradition, but they are fighting for the attention of a generation that consumes media in 15-second intervals.”
Looking Ahead to the Centenary
As the Academy begins its march toward the landmark 100th anniversary in 2028, these ratings serves as a wake-up call. Producers will likely spend the coming months reevaluating how to broaden the show’s appeal without sacrificing its status as the industry’s ultimate honor.
While 17.9 million viewers still makes the Oscars the most-watched awards show on television—easily outperforming the Grammys, Emmys, and Golden Globes—the downward trend suggests that the “road to recovery” for live awards shows remains fraught with obstacles.
For more updates on the entertainment industry and television ratings, stay tuned to our latest coverage.