‘The Oscars’ on ABC Slip to 32.9 Million Viewers

On paper, there is nothing too shabby about a reported the reported 32.9 million viewers who tuned in for the “89th Annual Academy Awards” on ABC Sunday, based on the Live Fast National ratings. Comparably, this is now TV’s No. 1 entertainment telecast since last year’s “Oscars,” and it slipped by only four percent from the 34.3 million viewers last year (on 2/28/16). But that tally last year was the lowest for the “Oscars” in eight years (since the 32.01 in 2008 when “No Country for Old Men” was named Best Picture). And this is now the least viewed “Oscars” in nine years (and now the third lowest rated historically). Take a look:

2017: 32.9 million: “Moonlight”
2016: 34.42 million: “Spotlight”
2015: 37.26 million: “Birdman”
2014: 43.74 million: “12 Years a Slave”
2013: 40.38 million: “Argo”
2012: 39.46 million: “The Artist”
2011: 37.72 million: “The King’s Speech”
2010: 41.70 million: “The Hurt Locker”
2009: 36.31 million: “Slumdog Millionaire”
2008: 32.01 million: “No Country for Old Men”
2007: 40.17 million: “The Departed”

According to Nielsen Social, a total of 8.4 million people generated 22.1 million social media interactions across Facebook and Twitter during “The Oscars” on ABC on Sunday. A total of 73 percent of all social TV interactions on Sunday were about “The Oscars.”