2017 OSCARS Average 32.9 Million Viewers with 96% Retention Year to Year

With its coverage of the 89TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS, ABC shot to the top of Sunday's prime, outperforming its combined broadcast competition (CBS, NBC and Fox) by 177% in Total Viewers (27.4 million vs. 9.9 million) and by 270% in Adults 18-49 (7.4/23 vs. 2.0/6).
From 8:00-8:30 p.m. leading into the ceremony, ABC's "Oscar's Red Carpet Live" drew 20.9 million viewers on average.

"The Oscars" (8:30 p.m.-12:03 a.m.) ABC's 2017 broadcast of THE OSCARS attracted an average audience of 32.9 million Total Viewers and scored a 9.1 rating among Adults 18-49, based on Nielsen's Live + Same Day "Fast National" ratings. In viewers and young adults, the 2017 "Oscars" qualifies as TV's No. 1 entertainment telecast in 1 year - since last year's telecast on 02/28/16.

The 2017 "Academy Awards" held 96% of last year's overall audience in the Fast National ratings (34.3 million on 2/28/16), which adjusted up in the National numbers (to 34.4 million).

TV's biggest awards show, ABC's "The Oscars" dominated over other key awards shows this year, outdrawing the 2017 "Golden Globe Awards" by 12.9 million viewers and 65% in Adults 18-49 (20.0 million/5.5 rating in AD18-49 on 1/8/17) and the 2017 "Grammy Awards" by 6.8 million viewers and 17% in Adults 18-49 (26.1 million/7.8 rating in AD18-49 on 2/12/17).

ABC's 2017 "Oscars" telecast reached an estimated 59.0 million unique television viewers across the U.S. - unduplicated Viewers 2 + watching 6 minutes or more during the broadcast.

Social Activity (Nielsen Social): According to Nielsen Social, a total of 8.4 million people generated 22.1 million social media interactions across Facebook and Twitter during "The Oscars" on ABC on Sunday. In fact, 73% of all social TV interactions on Sunday were about "The Oscars." The Oscars on ABC is the No. 1 most social TV program for the week of 2/20/17.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day, Fast National Program Ratings for 02/26/17, unless stated otherwise. Nielsen Social: Facebook and Twitter total interactions based on +/-3 hours of the telecast, for 2/26/17.

Photo: ABC/Tyler Golden

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