TV Ratings For Oscars Plunge

CBS News ^ | March 24, 2003 | n/a

[Ed_NYC]

TV Ratings For Oscars Plunge
NEW YORK, March 24, 2003


The wartime Academy Awards telecast on ABC Sunday night was the least-watched Oscar ceremony since Nielsen Media Research began keeping records in 1974.

An estimated 33.1 million people watched "Chicago" win best picture, Nielsen said on Monday, down sharply from the 41.8 million who watched the Oscars last year.

The Oscars toned down the glitz Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood because of the war with Iraq, and going into the weekend, there had been some question whether the ceremony would be held. That took its toll, said Larry Hyams, ABC's chief researcher.

"It was such a special instance, it's hard to speculate what it was beyond the war coverage," Hyams said Monday. He noted that viewership has been sharply up for cable news networks covering the war full time.

The Academy Awards is often the most popular entertainment program of the year, but even last month's finale of “Joe Millionaire,” with 40 million viewers, beat it this year.

The previous Oscar lows came in 1987, when 37.2 million people watched "Platoon" win best picture, and 37.8 million in 1986, when "Out of Africa" won.

Oscar's record was the 55.2 million viewers in 1998, when "Titanic" won.

[spookycc]

The wartime Academy Awards telecast on ABC Sunday night was the least-watched Oscar ceremony since Nielsen Media Research began keeping records in 1974.

I like to think we had a little part in that record. ;-)

[oust the louse]

heck,I ran into a million of my friends who were on thier way to a huge Oscar watching party and I diverted them to a local tavern and we watched ESPN classic and threw down a few...:)

[Rodney King]

I still can't possbily understand why people watch the Oscars. I just don't get it.

[Morrigan]

I don't get it either. Who wants to watch a bunch of phony, intellectually and morally bankrupt "celebs" pat themselves on the back?

[Keith in Iowa]

>>I still can't possbily understand why people watch the Oscars. I just don't get it.

It's the same reason people have to look at a car wreck.

[LibKill]

I never watched that B.S. except by accident, and then no longer than it took to grab the remote and change to something else. It's booooring!

[Rodney King]

Even if you were an idiot and thought that Holywood figures were intelligent and righteous people, I still don't see why anyone would want to watch them pat each other on the back. I wouldn't watch the Bush Administration (which I like excpet for Powell and Whitman)throw themselves a party and pat each other on the back either.

[Missouri]

You said it all.
I heard all the sordid details about it listening Drudge last night. He ripped them good, too.

[ChiMark]

Consider this; "Chicago" is a feminist fantasy. Chick fick Bob Fosse musical. "The Pianist" the obligatory Holocaust film. Rather politically correct "victim" films. Barf bag.
Spider Man snubbed. Nuf said.

[solo gringo]

We had something to do with it.We will never watch another one it is used to promote left wing and the commiecrats ideas.enough is enough let them eat s#it.

[Morrigan]

LOL, you have a point there......

[TLBSHOW]

It is time to stop buying movie tickets and stop renting dvds and video and to stop buying videos and dvds.

It is time to protest at video stores and movie theaters across America. Stop the income of these communist and hollywood scum!

[Rodney King]

I haven't been to a movie since Howard Stern's Private Parts in 1997. I refuse to give them my money. However, I was thinking of breaking my streak and going to see Gods and Generals.

[TLBSHOW]

Me either but it is time to hit them even more.....

It is time to protest at video stores and movie theaters across America. Stop the income of these communist and hollywood scum but GOOD!

[Tall_Texan]

Our local radio host says the highest ratings are BEFORE the awards begin when they have the actors and actresses approaching the theatre in their spiffy (and oft-times revealing) fashions. Women want to see what Hollywood is wearing this year, etc.

The Oscars ratings go downhill from there every time.

Factor in the following:
* No pre-awards fashion show due to terrorist concerns.
* Real America's distaste for Hollywood's growing anti-Americanism.
* Television war coverage pulling away viewers.
* The NCAA basketball tournament (usually not shown on Sunday nights) pulling away viewers, particularly those who are fans of Florida, Michigan St., Kentucky and Utah.

All adds up to a bad night for Oscar. I'd say FR was just a minimal factor in the dropoff.

[Jmouse007]

Who says boycotts don't work? I have never purposely missed an Oscar night in over 30 years unless I was out of the country. Even then I watched it once while teaching in the Ukraine. However, this year I determined that I would not watch based upon the un-American statements made by numerous so-called "actors." Neither will I support those who have taken this stand or their movies.

It is such a tragedy to see how far Hollywood has fallen when one thinks of all of the BRAVE Hollywood actors who gave so much of themselves and their support in WWII, even to the point in which many set aside their careers to join up and honorably serve.

The new Hollywood loves the money and fame America and it's citizens provide them but they HATE America. They hate it's people and despise the freedom they enjoy, paid with the blood of others.

Millions of patriotic Americans didn't watch the Oscars because Hollywood no longer represents America, it's people, or the values we hold near and dear. These values have made us great and provided Hollywood with the freedom to ply their acting trade. Instead, they spit on us and support the very people, philosophies and ideas that would result in the destruction of America and the continuing enslavement of people in Iraq and all over the world.

[MainFrame65]

"TV Ratings For Oscars Plunge"

Half the job done. Now let's do the same for movie attendance, and maybe they will remember who pays them.

[Wil H]

Apparently ABC had a non-performance clause in it's advertising contracts which meant it had to return vast sums of money to the advertisers if certain rating criteria were not met. Anyone know if they got stung by this?