Heading into the Academy Awards telecast on Sunday March 7, viewership is rising for several notable award shows. If this trend continues, this could mean good news for the Academy Awards, especially given overall movie ticket sales in 2009 and the Academy’s expansion of the best movie category from five to 10 films.
| Historical Ratings for the Academy Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| YEAR | Best Picture Winner | Viewers |
| 2009 | Slumdog Millionaire | 36,310,000 |
| 2008 | No Country For Old men | 32,006,000 |
| 2007 | The Departed | 40,172,000 |
| 2006 | Crash | 38,939,000 |
| 2005 | Million Dollar Baby | 42,139,000 |
| 2004 | Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King | 43,531,000 |
| 2003 | Chicago | 33,043,000 |
| 2002 | A Beautiful Mind | 41,782,000 |
| 2001 | Gladiator | 42,944,000 |
| 2000 | American Beauty | 46,333,000 |
| Source: The Nielsen Company |
The films and the nominees certainly play a role in the size and demographic makeup of the Oscar viewer. In years where a minority was nominated in a major category, viewership among that ethnic group grew, most notably with African American viewership. Precious, which is nominated for best film also boasts nominees for best actress in a leading (Gabourey Sidibe) and supporting (Mo’Nique) role as well as director Lee Daniels. Past winner Morgan Freeman (Invictus) is also nominated this year.
| Recent African American Viewership of Academy Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Nominees | Film | African American Viewers |
| 2009 | Viola Davis Taraji P. Henson |
Doubt The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button |
3,009,000 |
| 2008 | Ruby Dee | American Gangster | 2,151,000 |
| 2007 | Forest Whitaker^ Will Smith Eddie Murphy Djimon Hounsou Jennifer Hudson^ |
The Last King Of Scotland The Pursuit Of Happyness Dreamgirls Blood Diamond Dreamgirls |
4,882,000 |
| 2006 | Terrence Howard | Hustle & Flow | 3,369,000 |
| 2005 | Jamie Foxx^ Don Cheadle Morgan Freeman^ Jamie Foxx Sophie Okenedo |
Ray Hotel Rwanda Million Dollar Baby Collateral Hotel Rwanda |
5,270,000 |
| Source: The Nielsen Company ^ = award winner |
