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Oscar ratings on the rise (but still 3rd lowest ever - Dinosaur Media DeathWatchâ„¢)
Variety ^ | February 23, 2009 | Rick Kissell

Posted on 02/23/2009 8:57:44 AM PST by abb

Powered by strong showings in the country's biggest markets, the 81st annual Academy Awards telecast on ABC produced improved ratings Sunday night -- rising by about 6% in Nielsen's metered-market overnights vs. last year's record low.

According to the Nielsen estimates, which measure roughly 50 of the biggest markets in the U.S., the Oscars averaged a 23.3 household rating/35 share from 8:30 to about 11:45 p.m. ET. Last year's telecast averaged a 21.9/33 in the overnights, translating to about 32 million viewers nationally.

New York delivered the largest rating Sunday (34.1/49 share), followed by Chicago (31.2/46) and Los Angeles (28.1/44). On the night, ABC beat the combined household delivery of CBS, NBC and Fox by roughly 30%.

Total-viewer estimates, as well as ratings in key demographic categories, will be issued by Nielsen later this morning, but it's a good bet that this year's kudocast will move comfortably ahead of last year's all-time low, which prompted some tweaking of the show's format. Last year's Oscar ratings were held down in part by lower ratings circulation at ABC and less awards-show buildup due to the writers strike.

Prior to last year, the smallest crowd on record for the Academy Awards came in 2003, when an average aud of 33.04 million tuned in.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: acadamyawards; dbm; hollywood; oscars; television
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Good news!
1 posted on 02/23/2009 8:57:44 AM PST by abb
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To: 04-Bravo; aimhigh; andyandval; Arizona Carolyn; backhoe; Bahbah; bert; bilhosty; Birch T. Barlow; ..

ping


2 posted on 02/23/2009 8:58:15 AM PST by abb ("What ISN'T in the news is often more important than what IS." Ed Biersmith, 1942 -)
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To: abb

The Oscars were on?


3 posted on 02/23/2009 9:02:17 AM PST by Mr. Jazzy (No greater friend, no worse enemy -The United States Marine Corps.)
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To: abb

Haven’t watched the Bimbo and Mimbo awards for years. These people just are not relevant to my life.


4 posted on 02/23/2009 9:04:33 AM PST by Pilated
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To: abb

This year’s winners for screenplay and best actor got strong ovations for in effect endorsing gay marriage to a worldwide audience.

This is what Sean Penn ( Best actor winner ) said in his acceptance speech :

“I think it’s a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect on their great shame and their shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that support. We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone.”

Dustin Lance Black, who received the award for best original screenplay for MILK, told of learning about Harvey Milk as a 13-year-old. “It gave me the hope to live my life openly as who I am, and then maybe even I could fall in love and one day get married” he said in his acceptance speech.


5 posted on 02/23/2009 9:05:01 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

What are the Oscars?


6 posted on 02/23/2009 9:06:15 AM PST by Cheryllynn
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To: abb

The Academy Awards was on last night?.....


7 posted on 02/23/2009 9:07:12 AM PST by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: Cheryllynn
What are the Oscars?

What is this Jeopardy ?
8 posted on 02/23/2009 9:07:58 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: abb

I heard some guy who played an S.F. homo won some kind of award?


9 posted on 02/23/2009 9:08:12 AM PST by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: abb

Once upon a time this show was on the same night as the NCAA Basketball Championship game.

Guess which one moved.


10 posted on 02/23/2009 9:19:29 AM PST by henkster (0bamanomics: "I'll loan you all the money you need to get out of debt.")
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To: abb
We watched The Amazing Race contestants throw pastry at each other. That was much more relevant to my life than a bunch of self absorbed hollyweirdos.
11 posted on 02/23/2009 9:28:53 AM PST by bgill
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To: SeekAndFind

Then there was Bill Mahr shilling for his documentary on religion with his soapbox diatribe about how religion causes all wars. It was beyond pathetic.


12 posted on 02/23/2009 9:29:40 AM PST by sarasota
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To: bgill

I watched NASCAR. At least the winner there actually EARNS it.


13 posted on 02/23/2009 9:38:01 AM PST by Right Cal Gal (Abraham Lincoln would have let Berkeley leave the Union without a fight)
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To: Right Cal Gal

I’ll bet the race got way better ratings than the homo award show.


14 posted on 02/23/2009 9:39:35 AM PST by henkster (0bamanomics: "I'll loan you all the money you need to get out of debt.")
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To: abb
Last year's telecast averaged a 21.9/33 in the overnights, translating to about 32 million viewers nationally.

These viewership numbers look somewhat realistic, at least. A few years ago the Oscar people were making the ludicrous claim that 2 billion people worldwide - 1 out of every 3 people on the planet - were watching their nonsense. And reporters in the media were actually repeating this claim.
15 posted on 02/23/2009 9:41:32 AM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

We had a party last night..to celebrate not watching the Oscars. People actually had fun without watching the boob tube.


16 posted on 02/23/2009 9:42:48 AM PST by Oldexpat (Drill Here, Drill There..we must drill everywhere.)
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To: bgill

Seriously love the Amazing Race.


17 posted on 02/23/2009 9:45:50 AM PST by Right Cal Gal (Abraham Lincoln would have let Berkeley leave the Union without a fight)
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To: Right Cal Gal

That’s because six percent of additional Americans are out of work or too house poor to find something more expensive to do so they were stuck on the couch last night with nothing better to do.


18 posted on 02/23/2009 9:53:34 AM PST by johnnycap
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To: AngelesCrestHighway

Can’t say I normally watch that drivel.

I would tune in for an awards show covering best performance by medical doctor, best supporting police officer in a domestic violence drama, most heroic effort by a volunteer firefighter, etc.

I love a good movie and appreciate all the effort going into it. But it’s just a movie, who cares?


19 posted on 02/23/2009 10:02:19 AM PST by Made In The USA (Liberalism is a sign of stupidity.)
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To: abb

Disgusted by HoWood and bored with lackluster Oscar ceremonies, I haven’t watched in years. But Hugh Jackman is a terrific entertainer, so I watched part of the show last night. Really, it was a vast improvement over those plodding Oscar ceremonies of the past. Jackman and Beyonce danced up a storm and some of the presenters were clever: i.e., Jack Black, whose material sounded like, well, Jack Black.

I will definitely spend the money to go see Slumdog. Their Oscar winning music director, a Hindu who converted to Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam, said something like, “I had a choice between hate and love, and I chose love. So here I am.” A good positive message for the youth of India who could be swayed into the hate column.

I turned it off before the best actor award, am disappointed that Penn won for Milk. But you know why. And I thought giving a posthumous Oscar to Heath was ridiculous. I could quibble all day, but in general enjoyed the show.


20 posted on 02/23/2009 10:28:25 AM PST by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
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