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.
ping
The Oscars were on?
Haven’t watched the Bimbo and Mimbo awards for years. These people just are not relevant to my life.
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.
What are the Oscars?
The Academy Awards was on last night?.....
I heard some guy who played an S.F. homo won some kind of award?
Once upon a time this show was on the same night as the NCAA Basketball Championship game.
Guess which one moved.
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.
I watched NASCAR. At least the winner there actually EARNS it.
I’ll bet the race got way better ratings than the homo award show.
We had a party last night..to celebrate not watching the Oscars. People actually had fun without watching the boob tube.
Seriously love the Amazing Race.
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.
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?
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.
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