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Sunday Final Nationals: Academy Awards Dip to Its Eight-Year Total-Viewer Low

ABC dominated Sunday night with coverage of “The Academy Awards” aka “The Oscars”.

The positives for the 88th annual event, hosted by Chris Rock, were it grew from the year-ago Oscars with adults 18-34 (+1 percent) and across all key male demos: +20 percent males 18-34, +6 percent males 18-49 and +1 percent males 25-54; the Oscars also propelled the ABC network to their largest in-season weekly viewer margin of victory over the runner-up network — +108 percent over CBS — since Jan. 24-30, 2000 (when ABC had aired Super Bowl XXXIV).

On the negative side, it was the least-watched Oscars since Feb. 24, 2008 (32.01 million) — the third least-watched ever (only the editions from 2008 and from the Iraqi-war-affected 2003 drew fewer viewers). With a 10.5 adults 18-49 rating, the Oscars drew the lowest rating ever in the demo.

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Programming Insider Sunday, February 28, 2016
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
7-11 Network Average 16.0/26 28177 7.2/26 8.2/24 9.2/23
7:00 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 1 (s) 7.0/12 11528 2.0/9 2.6/9 3.2/9
7:32 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 2 (s) 9.3/15 15703 3.3/13 4.0/13 4.7/13
8:01 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 3 (s) 12.9/20 22284 4.9/18 5.9/18 6.9/17
8:30 88th Annual Academy Awards (s) (thru 11:51) 19.4/32 34425 9.4/33 10.4/31 11.6/29
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
7-11 Network Average 3.2/5 4935 0.4/1 0.7/2 1.0/3
7:00 60 Minutes Presents (r) 4.1/7 6518 0.4/2 0.8/3 1.2/3
8:00 60 Minutes (r) 3.7/6 5720 0.4/1 0.8/2 1.1/3
9:00 Movie: Last Vegas (2013) 2.5/4 3823 0.3/1 0.6/2 0.9/2
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
7-11 Network Average 2.1/3 3341 0.5/2 0.7/2 1.0/2
7:00 Dateline NBC 3.6/6 5676 0.5/2 1.0/3 1.4/4
8:30 Movie: Ted (2012) 1.2/2 1940 0.4/2 0.6/2 0.7/2
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
7-10 Network Average 1.0/2 1687 0.5/2 0.7/2 0.8/2
7:00 The Simpsons (r) 1.1/2 1771 0.5/2 0.7/2 0.8/2
7:30 Bob’s Burgers (r) 1.0/2 1740 0.5/2 0.7/2 0.8/2
8:00 The Simpsons (r) 1.2/2 2197 0.7/3 0.9/3 1.0/3
8:30 Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life (r) 0.8/1 1334 0.4/1 0.5/1 0.6/1
9:00 Family Guy (r) 1.0/2 1687 0.6/2 0.7/2 0.8/2
9:31 Bordertown (r) 0.8/1 1383 0.4/1 0.5/1 0.6/1
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
7-11 Network Average 1.2/2 1999 0.8/2
7:00 Aqui y Ahora 1.1/3 1862 0.7/2
8:00 Nuestra Belleza (p) 1.3/2 2264 0.9/2
10:03 La Viuda Negra II 0.9/2 1570 0.7/2












Programming Insider Half-Hour Breakdowns
PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
7-11 Network Average 16.0/26 28177 7.2/26 8.2/24 9.2/23
7:00 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 1 (s) 7.0/12 11492 2.0/9 2.6/9 3.2/9
7:30 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 1 (s) 7.2/12 12068 2.4/10 3.0/10 3.5/10
7:32 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 2 (s) 9.3/15 15621 3.3/13 4.0/13 4.6/13
8:00 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 2 (s) 10.5/17 18016 4.0/15 4.7/14 5.5/14
8:01 Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet Part 3 (s) 12.9/20 22284 4.9/18 5.9/18 6.9/17
8:30 88th Annual Academy Awards (s) 20.1/32 35709 8.7/32 10.4/31 11.9/30
9:00 88th Annual Academy Awards (s) 19.9/31 35712 9.2/31 10.5/29 11.9/28
9:30 88th Annual Academy Awards (s) 19.7/31 35306 9.6/31 10.6/29 11.8/28
10:00 88th Annual Academy Awards (s) 19.6/32 35117 9.9/33 10.8/30 11.9/29
10:30 88th Annual Academy Awards (s) 19.5/33 34550 9.9/34 10.8/31 11.7/30

Sub-Demo Breakdowns – Sunday 2/28/16

“Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet: Part 1” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 2.4/10
Men 18-34: 1.5/7
Women 18-49: 3.0/10
Men 18-49: 2.2/8

“Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet: Part 2” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 4.0/15
Men 18-34: 2.6/12
Women 18-49: 4.7/14
Men 18-49: 3.2/11

“Oscar Countdown: Live from the Red Carpet: Part 3” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 5.9/20
Men 18-34: 4.0/16
Women 18-49: 6.9/19
Men 18-49: 4.9/15

“88th Annual Academy Awards” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 10.4/33
Men 18-34: 8.5/33
Women 18-49: 11.5/32
Men 18-49: 9.4/29

“The Walking Dead” (AMC)
Women 18-34: 5.12
Men 18-34: 5.50
Women 18-49: 5.70
Men 18-49: 6.46

“Talking Dead” (AMC)
Women 18-34: 1.76
Men 18-34: 1.95
Women 18-49: 2.12
Men 18-49: 2.34

“Live from the Red Carpet: 2016 Academy Awards” (E!)
Women 18-34: 0.88
Men 18-34: 0.34
Women 18-49: 1.02
Men 18-49: 0.44

“Vinyl” (HBO)
Women 18-34: 0.09
Men 18-34: 0.12
Women 18-49: 0.17
Men 18-49: 0.22

“Girls” (HBO)
Women 18-34: 0.20
Men 18-34: 0.09
Women 18-49: 0.27
Men 18-49: 0.26

Cable Rankings – Sunday 2/28/16
What follows are the top 20 most-watched shows in prime time on cable for Sunday, February 28:


  1. “The Walking Dead” (AMC, 9-10:02 p.m., 6.75 household rating): 12.794 million viewers (6.08 adults 18-49 rating)

  2. “Talking Dead” (AMC, 10:02-11:01 p.m., 2.65 household rating): 4.890 (2.23)

  3. “Mako Mermaids” (Disney Channel, 7:30-8 p.m.): 3.160 (0.85)

  4. “Mako Mermaids” (Disney Channel, 7-7:30 p.m.): 3.046 (0.83)

  5. “The Walking Dead” (AMC, 8-9 p.m.): 2.982 (1.26)

  6. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 10-10:30 p.m.): 2.193 (0.74)

  7. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 9-9:30 p.m.): 2.188 (0.76)

  8. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 9:30-10 p.m.): 2.111 (0.73)

  9. “Live From The Red Carpet: 2016 Academy Awards” (E!, 5:30-8:30 p.m., 1.37 household rating): 2.103 (0.73)

  10. “Fixer Upper” (HGTV, 7-8 p.m.): 2.006 (0.57)

  11. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 10:30-11 p.m.): 1.936 (0.68)

  12. “Family Guy” (Adult Swim, 10:30-11 p.m.): 1.903 (0.90)

  13. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 8-8:30 p.m.): 1.878 (0.68)

  14. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 8:30-9 p.m.): 1.872 (0.66)

  15. “Law & Order: SVU” (USA, 7-8 p.m.): 1.846 (0.53)

  16. “Family Guy” (Adult Swim, 10-10:30 p.m.): 1.841 (0.87)

  17. “Ax Men” (History, 9-10:03 p.m.): 1.751 (0.43)

  18. “When Calls the Heart” (Hallmark, 9-10 p.m.): 1.738 (0.23)

  19. “Mako Mermaids” (Disney Channel, 8-8:30 p.m.): 1.709 (0.35)

  20. “Law & Order: SVU” (USA, 8-9 p.m.): 1.623 (0.50)


  • “Evil Lives Here” (ID, 10-11 p.m.): 1.216 (0.34)

  • “All-Star Academy” (Food Network, 9-10 p.m.): 1.200 (0.32)

  • “Guy’s Grocery Games” (Food Network, 8-9 p.m.): 1.184 (0.36)

  • “Unusual Suspects” (ID, 9-10 p.m.): 1.153 (0.29)

  • “Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir” (Nickelodeon, 7:00-10:30 p.m.): 1.064 (0.26)

  • “Cutthroat Kitchen” (Food Network, 10-11 p.m.): 0.896 (0.30)

  • “Hoarders: Where Are They Now” (A&E, 9-10 p.m.): 0.735 (0.27)

  • “NHRA Drag Racing: Carquest Auto Parts Nationals” (FS1, 5:00-8:05 p.m.): 0.645 (0.09)

  • “First Look: Hollywood Medium” (E!, 8:30-8:42 p.m.): 0.571 (0.22)

  • “Girls” (HBO, 10:01-10:30 p.m.): 0.533 (0.26)

  • “Vinyl” (HBO, 9:02-9:59 p.m.): 0.533 (0.20)

  • “NHL Hockey: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Boston Bruins” (NBCSN, 6:33-9:15 p.m.): 0.474 (0.15)

  • “NHL Hockey: Los Angeles Kings @ Anaheim Ducks” (NBCSN, 9:15 p.m.-12:04 a.m.): 0.364 (0.07)

  • “NBA Basketball: Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks” (NBA TV, 7:01-9:28 p.m.): 0.243 (0.09)

  • “College Basketball: Washington @ Oregon” (ESPNU, 8:35-10:38 p.m.): 0.227 (0.06)

  • “College Basketball: Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest” (ESPNU, 6:30-8:35 p.m.): 0.155 (0.04)

  • “College Basketball: USC @ Cal” (FS1, 8:05-10:11 p.m.): 0.143 (0.04)


Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

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