ABC's Oscars Viewing Falls 7% - Adding Hulu, Up 1% To 19.7M

by Wayne Friedman , March 4, 2025

While over the air ABC Television Network’s “The Oscars” dipped 7% to 18.1 million Nielsen-measured viewers versus the year before on ABC, adding in the first streaming ever from Disney’s Hulu boosted viewing by 1% to 19.7 million.

ABC Television Network's advertising revenue for “The Oscars” was estimated at $121.5 million, from 59 airings of TV commercials, according to EDO Ad EnGage.

The year before there was slightly more commercial airings during the show (64) totaling an estimated spend of $126.6 million. Last year’s event posted a Nielsen-measured 19.5 million viewers.

The pre-show “The Oscars Red Carpet” had 12 commercial airings ($7.8 million spend). The year before: 11 airings ($6.3 million).

Prescription weight-management brands aired two messages with an estimated spend of $11.7 million. The next two biggest categories were pharmaceutical brands (at $8.75 million, with five airings) and life/retirement insurance (at $8.75 million, with four airings).

The highest-spending individual brand was Prudential Insurance with four airings, at $8.75 million.

While total viewership dipped, 18-49 viewers climbed 3% to 3.92 rating (versus 3.82 the year before). ABC says younger 18-34 viewers tallied the best results in five years, with a 3.17 rating.

Social media activity grew for the event. The network said “The Oscars” social-media interactions totaled 104.2 million -- the best results so far for any TV show for the 2024-2025 TV season.

This year’s show -- for the first time on record -- topped “The Grammy Awards” (102.2 million social media interactions) and “Super Bowl LIX” (62.4 million).

EDO says the online search engagement activity increased by an average 1,540 in the minutes right after an “Oscars” TV commercial aired.

Hulu first ever live “Academy Awards” streaming airing had many glitches for streaming users including some who couldn’t see the final minutes of event including the Best Picture presentation.

This story has been updated.

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3 comments about "ABC's Oscars Viewing Falls 7% - Adding Hulu, Up 1% To 19.7M".

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Thomas Siebert from BENEVOLENT PROPAGANDA, March 4, 2025 at 9:43 a.m.
Social-media interactions totaling 104.2 million is no great shakes when 75 mllion of them are pointing out how the show and the awards are garbage. The calatimous drop on 7% year-over-year tells the real tale: Third lowest watched ever, behind only the two Covid years.

Hollywood is burning and all it can think to do is stubbornly toss more fuel on the flames and send Keystone Kops level of DEI lesbian firefighters to put it out. No wonder it's failing.
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Joel Rubinson from Rubinson Partners, Inc. replied, March 4, 2025 at 11:46 a.m.

I won't watch the self-indulgence fest. they live in their own bubble. Was anyone surprised an anti-israel propaganda movie won?

Ben B from Retired, March 4, 2025 at 10:06 p.m.

I don't watch The Oscars since I only watch at most 1 or 2 movies that are up for The Oscars. More what the voters like than what the masses like why it's movies that many don't watch or go and see in my opinion. The voters need to watch more what the masses are watching than those indie movies that no one watches other than the elitist watch.