Oscar Ceremony Not So Golden With Ratings

CNBC.com ^ | February 25, 2008 | CNBC staff

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Oscar Ceremony Not So Golden With Ratings

Posted By:Julia Boorstin

Topics:Advertising | Movies & Film Studios | Television | Media

Sectors:Media

Companies:Walt Disney Co

The preliminary ratings numbers are out and Nielsen Media Research is saying that ratings for the Academy Awards telecast last night were some 14 percent lower than the least-watched ceremony ever, which was 2003, when 33 million people watched. And these preliminary ratings are also 21 percent lower than last year.

Advertisers look to the Oscars, nicknamed "the Super Bowl for women" to reach a mass audience of more affluent women. Last year 40 million people watched the awards ceremony, two thirds of them women. This year, thanks to the writers' strike, the fact that the nominated movies didn't have huge box office success, I'm not surprised that it's much less. The Academy --and  ABC (owned by Disney("DIS","WSODQ_COMPONENT_DIS_ID0E1G15839609","WSODQ","true","ID0E1G15839609","off","false"); ,which broadcasts the telecast--will want to get the numbers up again next year.

But since the Academy can't control which films its members vote for, it's up to the Academy to come up with a way to make the show more exciting. And I'm sure the Academy hopes that next year there's a "Chicago" or "Titanic" --a movie that wins both at the box office and at the Oscars, the best recipe for Oscar ratings gold.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

There's also a vote to be taken at the Website.

Media Money Poll

	Did you watch the Oscars last night?
		Yes, thought it was good
		Yes, but terrible show
		No, never watch them
		Watched some of the show but not all
	Vote to see results

[pgkdan]

These people spend the year trotting all over the globe making asses of themselves with their general anti-American, pro- tinpot dictator childishness and then expect regular people to tune in and watch them tell the world how wonderful they are? Give me a break. I wouldn’t have tuned in if I’d heard that someone dropped a bomb on the place. I loathe and detest these assclowns.

[Shelayne]

That is pretty much how I would sum it up.

They can all pound sand for all I care.

[The_Republican]

I am glad I am not the only who thought that the show sucked.

[Argus]

Memo to Daniel Day Lewis: Wearing one earring makes you a pirate. Wearing a matched set makes you an old lady.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

These people spend the year trotting all over the globe making asses of themselves with their general anti-American, pro- tinpot dictator childishness and then expect regular people to tune in and watch them tell the world how wonderful they are? Give me a break.

Yep.

But the fact that they had John Stewart hosting and got the lowest rating ever is extra sweet.

[alwaysconservative]

I just read an excellent piece in Jewish World Review by Mitch Albom about the depressing nature of the films that were “honored” at the Oscars this year. He makes the point that instead of glorifying the worst in ourselves with movies, we could just look in the mirror. He lauds films with (GASP!) happy endings or good winning out over evil (which will NEVER get an Oscar nod).

This is what happens when you let liberals run things: we ALL get depressed.

[FormerACLUmember]

I stopped wasting three hours+ of the Oscars, with all the preening, herpes-infected low lifes in $50,000 outfits.

[brivette]

I agree. Stewart is an ass.

[bcsco]

The last movie my wife and I saw in a theater was Dances With Wolves when it came out in 1990. Neither of us pay any attention to the industry; especially the awards.

But last Friday, the wife, who manages a craft store, had a customer complain that they had no party items for an “Academy Awards Night” party. “After all, it’s the entertainment equivalent of the Super Bowl.” She came home and told me about it with her most “You won’t believe this” expression. Oh, and this woman was in her 50’s or thereabouts. She wasn’t a young college-age kid.

That’s one party I’m glad I missed.

[FFranco]

It might have helped their ratings if some Americans got oscars. After all, the movies were invented in America and is one our biggest exports, yet all the major awards went to foreigners (who probably hate America).

[Richard Kimball]

I wouldn’t have tuned in if I’d heard that someone dropped a bomb on the place.

I'd have tuned in for that.

[MarkL]

I wanted Ann Hathaway I mean, I wanted to see Ann Hathaway... Which I did, right here on Free Republic!

Mark

[HarleyLady27]

AMEN!!!

I don’t buy their trash and I don’t go and pay money to see their trash....maybe when they can ‘respect’ America then I will reconsider....

[Zuben Elgenubi]

I saw all the films except Juno, either in the theaters or on DVD. That French actress who played the singer was really good. A good movie.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

But the fact that they had John Stewart hosting and got the lowest rating ever is extra sweet.

John Stewart is just not funny at all.

[BossLady]

Marion Cotillard deserved the Oscar....although I thought Julie Christie did give her a good run for the money.

And...I thought it so sweet when the stripper-turned-writer won best orginal screenplay award over all the writer's union types....hehehehe....

[abb]

PING!!!

[rrr51]

That French actress who played the singer was really good.

Agreed. But here's the bad news. She's a spokesperson for Greenpeace. I was hoping that maybe she was one of the normal ones.

[AFPhys]

I don’t get depressed by the libidiot new movies...

I just don’t watch them. If I desire movies, and I regularly do, there are hundreds of older flicks that I’ve already seen and many I have archived along with literally thousands more that I would like to see. Who needs these new queer movies made by psychotic liberals?