Oscar Ratings Best in Two Years

With 1.4 million more viewers than last year and the best ratings in three of the last four years, ABC’s Academy Awards broadcast drew its second largest audience since 2007.

The show, with host Billy Crystal, attracted an average audience of 39.3 million total viewers and posted an 11.7 rating among Adults 18-49.  In addition, visits to Oscar.com jumped 42% and the Oscar app was downloaded 370,000 times, an increase of 1154% over 2011.  On Oscar Sunday alone, four million people visited Oscar.com or used an Oscar App.

The 2012 Oscars stand as ABC’s most-watched telecast in two years – since March 7, 2010, which shows you how bad things have been for ABC lately.  

With the Oscar’s Red Carpet Live pre-show, the actual awards telecast and Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Academy Awards, ABC’s Oscar programming on Sunday reached an estimated 76 million unique television viewers across the U.S. – unduplicated viewers 2+ watching six minutes or more during the broadcast.

Across TV and digital platforms, audiences consumed more than 8.5 billion minutes of ABC’s Academy Awards-themed programming Sunday.

Source: The Nielsen Company (Live + Same Day, Fast National Program Ratings) – 2/27/12.  Online Source: Adobe SiteCatalyst