Oscars Viewership Drops to 18.1 Million Despite Gains Among Younger Audiences

The 97th Academy Awards saw a 7% decline in total viewers from last year, though it posted its highest ratings among adults 18-34 in five years.

The 2025 Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, drew 18.1 million viewers across ABC and Hulu, marking a 7% decline from 2024's 19.5 million viewers.
This year’s broadcast saw its first ratings drop in four years, ending a steady rebound since the pandemic-low of 10.4 million viewers in 2021.
Despite the overall decline, the ceremony achieved a five-year high among adults aged 18-34, with a 3.17 rating in that demographic.
Hulu’s livestream of the event faced technical issues, including interruptions during key moments, potentially affecting total viewership numbers.
The Oscars remained the most-watched entertainment telecast of the season so far and outperformed the Grammys in both total viewers and key demographic ratings.