The comeback of live event TV continues.
ABC’s telecast of the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday drew 19.5 million viewers, hitting a four-year viewership high, according to Nielsen.
The live TV audience was up from last year’s 18.8 million, the third consecutive year that Oscar viewership has grown.
The ratings report will prompt cheers at ABC and the academy, which bumped the start of the venerable awards ceremony to 7 p.m. Eastern, an hour earlier than usual, in the hopes that more viewers would stick around through the final categories.
Jimmy Kimmel also received warm reviews in his fourth outing as host, leaving him one away from matching another late-night star who moonlighted at the Oscars, Johnny Carson.
Persons:
“ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, Jimmy Kimmel, Johnny Carson, Nielsen
Organizations:
Nielsen, ABC