Oscars 2026 Viewership Dips to 17.9 Million, Lowest Since 2022
TL;DR
The 98th Oscars on ABC/Hulu drew about 17.86 million viewers (3.92 rating among 18–49), down roughly 9% from 2025 and the smallest audience since 2022, according to Nielsen big data plus panel ratings.
- TV Ratings: Oscars Fall to 17.9 Million Viewers, Lowest Since 2022 The Hollywood Reporter
- Oscars Viewership Slides 9%, Its First Drop Since 2021 The New York Times
- Oscars Ratings Hit 17.9 Million Viewers, Down 9% From Last Year and Lowest Since 2022 Variety
- Not one Best Picture Oscar nominee was made in Hollywood this year—a sign of an industry in crisis Fortune
- As Movies Adapt to the Times, the Oscars Can Only Look On The New Yorker
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