Oscars Viewership Drops, Social Media Buzz Surges

0:00It's March 18, and here's what's happening across entertainment and pop culture. The 98th Oscars, hosted by Conan O'Brien, drew just under 17.9 million viewers on Sunday. That's a 9% drop from last year's 19.7 million, which was a post-pandemic high. Viewership among adults aged 18-49 fell even more by 14%. The show featured a class between two Warner Bros. films, with one battle after another, taking best picture and director honors. Michael B. Jordan picked up best actor for centers, the most nominated movie ever at 16 nods, though it also set a record with 12 losses. Even with the decline, the Oscars remain the top prime time entertainment show of the 2025-2026 season. For comparison, the Golden Globes on CBS in January had 8.7 million viewers, down 7% from the previous year. Social media buzz made up for some of the TV dip, with prime time impressions jumping 42%

1:01and over 129 million video. Views on Academy platforms. Looking ahead, broadcast ratings will no longer measure success starting in 2029, when the 101st Oscars shift exclusively to YouTube. Thanks to our sponsor for supporting today's coverage, your pillow just got smarter. It plays your podcast and music, S-O-L-I, solely pillow.com.