The 98th Academy Awards drew 17.86 million viewers across ABC and Hulu, signifying a nine percent decrease from the previous year’s broadcast. This represented the lowest viewership figure since 2022. The event’s audience also saw a reduction within the 18-49 demographic, although it still surpassed levels observed in 2024.
Despite this notable decline, Disney considers the ceremony a remarkably successful entertainment program for the 2025/2026 season. Similar downward trends were evident in the viewership numbers of the Golden Globes and Grammy awards. The Oscars maintained its position as the most-watched program of the evening.
Notably, the awards experienced substantial growth on social media platforms. Over 184 million impressions were recorded, accompanied by more than 129 million video views. This followed a consistent rise in viewership since 2021, marking the first decline in recent years.
Host Conan O’Brien achieved a positive outcome during the event, contributing to the overall success.
Topics: #awards #academy #decline
The Academy Awards witnessed a considerable and apparent drop in audience numbers in 2026.