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Brooding Oscar Scares Away TV Viewers

By STEVE GORMAN, Reuters
Posted: 2008-02-25 16:49:53
Filed Under: Awards, Movie News, TV News
NEW YORK (Feb. 25) - The telecast of the 80th annual Oscars, dominated by European stars and movies that played poorly at the box office, appears headed for record low viewership, according to early figures from Nielsen Media Research Monday.

The three-hour-plus live broadcast hosted by Jon Stewart on ABC posted a combined household rating of 21.9 in the 56 largest "metered markets" monitored by Nielsen. Each rating point represents 1 percent of the 78.8 million households in those cities -- accounting for 70 percent of the country.

National figures were expected later in the day.

The "metered market" tally was down sharply from the corresponding figure in 2003, which entered the record books as the least watched Oscars telecast ever. That show, which was presented just after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq had begun, posted a "metered market" household rating of 25.5.

The 2003 program was hosted by Steve Martin and featured the musical "Chicago" as best picture. It ended up with a national household rating of 20.4, the lowest level going back to the very first televised Oscars in 1953.

In terms of actual people watching, the 2003 telecast averaged 33.05 million viewers, the smallest number since 1974, when average audience figures first became available.

The weak ratings for Sunday's broadcast were no surprise given that most movies showcased this year, while drawing critical raves, generated little enthusiasm among moviegoers.

The night's big winner, the grim, violent crime drama "No Country For Old Men," which claimed four awards including best picture and best drama, grossed a modest $64 million at the North American box office.

Only one movie among the five nominated for best picture, breakout comedy "Juno," crossed the $100 million box office market domestically. That film managed just one win, for best original screenplay.

The Oscar ratings likely also suffered from the fact that all four acting awards this year went to European performers whose names are relatively obscure for American audiences and who appeared in movies that relatively few moviegoers saw.

The Oscars generally have drawn a bigger U.S. television audience in years when the big crowd pleasers at the multiplex, like "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," also figured prominently in the awards race.

Oscar producers already were bracing for low ratings due to an overall viewership slump in network TV this broadcast season, exacerbated by a glut of reruns and reality shows triggered by the recently settled Hollywood writers strike.

Still, the Academy Awards show ranks as the year's highest-rated entertainment special and a cash cow for Walt Disney Co.'s ABC, which raked in an average of $1.8 million for each 30-second spot, up 7 percent from a year ago

Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-02-25 16:03:07
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136 comments

niteskystar2 03:59:37 AM Feb 29 2008

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The Oscars show was as uninteresting and as unimaginative as the Hollywood movies up for awards

When Hollywood returns to making more entertaining movies with less gratuitous
violence and more imaginative scripts and storylines then what should follow is a more interesting Oscar show to look forward to.

theManonFire82 02:14:27 PM Feb 28 2008

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Movies that have been getting awards this year weren't even watched all that much - and yet millions of dollars spent on the award show and actors feel like they did something good! We definitely need an infusion of more original movies from some original people, maybe folks from Sundance. If you haven't heard of Leonid Rozhetskin, check him out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Rozhetskin - he runs with Eric Eisner, son of Michael Eisner. It's time to get some fresh talent!!

LeopardONmyRoof 11:04:39 PM Feb 27 2008

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For those of you complaining about the celebrities and their unwelcome (to you) opinions, if you had actually watched the show you would have not seen any soapbox speeches. They thanked the people they worked with and their families, graciously accepted their awards, and left. If you're mad because some celebrities are passionate about their favorite issues and find it hard to resist expressing their opinions, given the opportunity, think about what you're doing in these comment boxes. If you'd do this on the internet where a handful of people are going to read what you have to say, I'd be surprised if you were the one with the air time and you didn't take advantage of the situation to try and sway some minds.

donmalone 07:09:41 PM Feb 27 2008

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A very weak year for movies and a B talent host translates into few viewers. No surprise.
The industry needs to wake up and stop making films that only satisfies their agenda. There are plenty of entertainment options. People are not buying what Hollywood is trying to cram down our throats. Americans love good movies. When Hollywood starts making them again box office success will return.

psychoticnewbie 05:25:43 PM Feb 27 2008

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2:16:23 PM Feb 26 2008
Report This! Johnny Depp really doesn't give a crap about award shows, but I'm betting because the show is on ABC he decided oh well. He's really the only actor worth it to pay my money to see anyway.d. But he's still worth watching, idiot Academy, he sings his own part and doesn't win, go FIGURE!!!
***************************************************************************************************
no because Daniel Day-Lewis totally rocked...Johnny Depp will have his day...just like Sean Penn finally won his, so will he..

bsfurg 04:03:30 PM Feb 27 2008

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jON STEWART WAS SO BORING AT THE BEGINNING I TURNED IT OFF.. HES NOT FUNNY AND INTERESTING AT ALL... YUUKY

burljeand 02:22:07 PM Feb 27 2008

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It is strange to me that these beautiful actresses marry men or cohabit with men that the men's faces would stop a clock.

burljeand 02:20:58 PM Feb 27 2008

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For a nice change the host of the Oscar's exhibited some class. Handsome, funny and said the right things for the American pulic that are not slobs.

burljeand 02:19:08 PM Feb 27 2008

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If I wanted to see foreigners, like those at the Oscars, I would go to Mexico, France or Italy. Pay to watch them in a movie. No way. Would suggest also that they shave and cut their hair. They look like right out of the Stone Age.

ejdno1 09:48:31 AM Feb 27 2008

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Formats is much too long; actors act they are a gift to mankind and are elitist in their attitude concerning the average working American.

We look for the glamour the plush and fanfare, but we don't like their condescending attitudes towards our country. Their moral viewpoints as are not representatives of the average American who works, marries and fights daily battles just to make it in life.

The do live a life apart from most of us, but that does not entitle them to try to set the record straight when they spend their monies on divorces, drugs, out of wedlock children and ask us to like it. BS.

sunshine2uhn 09:38:51 AM Feb 27 2008

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THE MAIN REASON MOST DON'T WATCH THE AWARDS--TOO MUCH TALK ABOUT POLITICS-TOO MUCH TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT/GOVERNMENT IS DOING WRONG... THE PUBLIC IS SICK OF THE STARS BORING OPINION...SICK OF THEIR ATTITUDE..SICK OF THEIR BAD BEHAVIOR...STEALING OTHER MATES-DRIVING WHILE DRUNK-DRUGS FIGHTING ETC. THIS LIST IS LONG.
THE BRIGHT SPOT IN THE WHOLE SHOW WAS DANIEL DAY-LEWIS WINNING. HE IS THE BEST ACTOR OF HIS GENERATION. TOTAL CLASS!

psych10151 05:36:45 AM Feb 27 2008

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Why didn't I watch? Besides the fact that I didn't see any of the so-called great movies that they are trying to advertise? Besides the fact that the show is way too long and has been for many years? Besides the fact that this is only interesting to the people actually involved in movie industry? Besides the fact that I don't really care who the winner thanks? Besides the fact that Hollywood only caters to those that enjoy violence? Gee, I don't know. I'll have to give this question some thought.

EAGLE49D 08:24:03 PM Feb 26 2008

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Hollywood and the music industry spend to much time patting themselves on the back for mediocre work and a paycheck that is totally out of control.

adrondus 04:34:22 PM Feb 26 2008

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How dare they leave Brad Renfro out of the montage of people who died this year. I was very upset that he was slighted.

melbacchus777 01:21:01 PM Feb 26 2008

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HOLLYWOOD ! THE SICKO ! DEVIATE ! GARBAGE ! PUTRID CESSPOOL,! OF THE
LOWEST MORAL PEOPLE ON EARTH.

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