Next Sunday night, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will host the 93rd edition of Oscars, a ceremony to celebrate the best of the year in motion pictures. If we could ever use a celebration, this would be the year. In the most optimistic sense, this year’s ceremony could signal recovery after a difficult year, celebrating the determination of the movie industry to entertain in the face of a difficult year filled with uncertainty and shutdowns. On the other hand, there is concern about the size of the audience that will watch this year’s Oscar broadcast, after other major awards programs have experienced steep declines in the viewership for the latest programs. The Emmys had 6.1M viewers for their September 20th program on ABC, the Golden Globes had 6.9M viewers for their February 28th program on NBC, and the Grammys had 9.2M viewers for their March 14th program on CBS. While last year’s Oscar broadcast attracted 23.6M viewers, this year’s is projected to draw only 12M – 15M. Awards programs represent one of the few examples of a major live event that can attract a relatively large national audience, making them appealing to networks and advertisers. The Golden Globes and Oscars are also unique events by which Hollywood can promote the industry itself, with star-power on full display and anticipation over the competition. In the past, advertisers have paid a premium for the opportunity to showcase their brand to the assembled audience, adjacent to the stars. These broadcasts also provide networks with an opportunity to promote their other programming to viewers who might otherwise not tune in to their network.
See Also: Oscar Campaigners Flock To Queens Drive-In As In-Person Screenings Resume Citywide Ahead Of Ballot Deadline (Deadline)
