The 98th Academy Awards brought in 17.86 million viewers across ABC and Hulu, making it the least-watched Oscars telecast since 2022. That is down 9% from last year’s 19.7 million, which had marked a five-year high for the show. The telecast also posted a 3.92 rating among adults 18-49, down 14% from last year’s 4.54.
Oscars ratings slide after last year’s rebound
After seeing a bump in 2025, the Oscars gave some of that momentum right back. The drop suggests last year’s gains did not carry over, even with ABC and Hulu again giving viewers both broadcast and streaming access. Variety reported the 17.86 million figure for this year, while Disney had previously touted the 2025 ceremony’s 19.69 million viewers and 4.54 demo rating as a five-year high.
Big-name presenters didn’t move the needle
The Academy and ABC rolled out a presenter lineup that included Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, while other heavily promoted names also helped give the show added franchise appeal. That extra star power still failed to stop the ratings decline. For all the talk around Marvel, Star Wars, and other major IP names appearing throughout the telecast, the audience still came in lower than a year ago.
The winners may not have connected with mainstream audiences
Another issue is that the movies taking home the biggest prizes were not exactly broad box office crowd-pleasers. One Battle After Another won Best Picture and finished the night with six Oscars, while Sinners followed with four wins. Sinners performed well relative to expectations, but neither film was the kind of massive mainstream blockbuster that tends to bring casual viewers into an awards show.
You can also make the case that part of the audience is simply tired of Hollywood using awards season to celebrate movies with messaging that does not connect with a wide swath of the country. That does not show up in the official ratings report, of course, but the continued downward pressure on viewership speaks for itself.
Fans may have watched on social media instead
Where the Oscars did see growth was online. ABC reported that social impressions jumped 42.4% this year, with 1.84 billion impressions. The Academy’s social platforms also rose to 21.6 million, up from 19.7 million last year, and the event generated more than 129 million video views during the night. That points to a possible shift where more people are skipping the full telecast and just catching clips, reactions, and highlights as they scroll.
That might be the real story. People still want the big moments, the viral speeches, the celebrity clips, and the red carpet reactions. They just may not want to sit through the whole show to get them.
ABC keeps the Oscars through 2028 before YouTube takes over
The Oscars will remain on ABC through 2028. Starting in 2029, YouTube takes over the exclusive global rights, ending the show’s long run on ABC. If the TV audience keeps slipping while digital engagement rises, that move could end up looking like smart timing.
