It’s Hollywood’s biggest night, but outside of Tinsel Town, who and how many people are tuning in to watch the Oscars?
80% of US Adults don’t plan to follow the Oscars at all. Whomp whomp. To pop culture fanatics, this shouldn’t come as a major shock. Last year’s Oscars were ranked among the top 3 least watched years in the Academy Awards history.
So, how can the awards ceremony bolster its fanbase?
Let’s break Oscar viewership into people who watch the awards ceremony alone, in a group, and not at all.
When looking at the group watchers as a whole, there are some obvious patterns. People who are planning to watch the Oscars with other people are more likely to be heavy social media users. They are more likely than the other groups to go to the movies at least once a month. These viewers are also more likely to use a DVR and stream music online.
What do the above habits tell us about the Oscar watcher? The number of people watching the Oscars in a group is nearly double that of those following the event alone. The Academy Awards is a social event. People are more likely to watch it in groups, and more likely to discuss it online.
The Academy Awards can engage its fans, and perhaps persuade others to watch, by utilizing social media and second screen experiences. Half the fun of the awards show is watching it live and joining the conversations that happen among viewers in person and on social media. For example, take Ellen Degeneres’ 2014 Oscars selfie, the most tweeted image in the platform’s history.
The Oscars does best in the social media age when it exists both online and on television. The Oscars are, of course, the biggest party in Hollywood. If the Academy wants more eyes on the live ceremony, it’ll have to consider ways to bring the festivities online for fans. Encouraging attendees to use social media during the ceremony, or offering backstage content online during commercial breaks could boost viewer numbers.
