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- Ratings snapshot: Where the Oscars landed in 2026
- Conan O’Brien’s return and the late-night timing
- Broadcast strategy: ABC, Hulu and streaming’s pull
- Industry-wide trend: Awards shows and audience erosion
- Major winners and historic moments from the ceremony
- What the ratings mean for broadcast TV and the Oscars’ future
- Onstage moments and the closing gag
The 2026 Academy Awards drew a smaller TV audience than many had hoped, with industry watchers noting a clear drop from last year. Despite a lively hosting turn and several milestone wins, the broadcast struggled to match prior ratings in a shifting media landscape.
Ratings snapshot: Where the Oscars landed in 2026
ABC reported the telecast reached 17.9 million viewers across linear broadcast and Hulu. That number marks about a 9% decline from last year, which had 19.69 million viewers. It is the lowest total since 2022, when the ceremony drew 16.6 million.
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For additional perspective, the 2020 Oscars averaged 23.6 million viewers. That year had been seen as an all-time low at the time.
Conan O’Brien’s return and the late-night timing
Conan O’Brien hosted again, bringing his quick wit and recurring bits back to the stage. The ceremony ran just over three hours.
But the telecast started later than in typical years. The scheduling shift followed the Winter Olympics, which likely affected live viewership. Even with a tight script and comedic energy, fatigue may have set in for some viewers.
Broadcast strategy: ABC, Hulu and streaming’s pull
Disney streamed the awards live on ABC and via Hulu for the second straight year. The dual-platform approach aimed to capture both linear and streaming audiences.
Still, the move to stream did not lift totals above 2025. Networks face a challenge as viewing habits fragment across apps and platforms.
Industry-wide trend: Awards shows and audience erosion
- The Golden Globes and Grammys also posted drops, each down roughly 6%.
- Despite lower ratings, the Oscars remained the top primetime entertainment telecast of the year outside sports.
- Social engagement surged; impressions were reported up by about 42%.
Major winners and historic moments from the ceremony
The show mixed prestige wins with moments aimed at mainstream attention. A few awards stood out for their cultural and industry impact.
Top winners
- “One Battle After Another” won Best Picture and walked away with six Oscars total.
- “Sinners”, from Warner Bros., claimed four Oscars and several headline categories.
Notable individual victories
- Paul Thomas Anderson finally received an Oscar, ending a long run of high-profile nominations without a win.
- Ryan Coogler won for Best Original Screenplay.
- Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his role in “Sinners.”
- The ceremony marked the first time a woman won the Oscar for Best Cinematography in the Academy’s 98-year history.
Music highlight
The performance of “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” was staged live. The song also won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
What the ratings mean for broadcast TV and the Oscars’ future
ABC will continue to maximize the awards’ reach while it still holds broadcast rights. But the long-term home is changing.
After the 100th Oscars in 2029, the broadcast will move to YouTube through 2033. Networks and producers are already testing how best to mix traditional TV audiences with streaming-first viewers.
Onstage moments and the closing gag
Conan leaned into streaming chatter during the show. He riffed about the Oscars moving to YouTube by featuring pop-up ad sketches with Jane Lynch.
For the finale, Conan staged a parody tied to “One Battle After Another.” A placard on stage read “Oscar host for life.” The prop was swapped to show the name of YouTube personality MrBeast.
