The preliminary ratings for the 2018 Oscar Awards Ceremony on ABC indicate a significant drop in live viewership relative to the ratings for the 2017 Oscars.
The Nielsen ratings also don’t account for those cable customers who record The Oscars to watch later through a DVR device.
The Oscars have been televised live every year since 1953, with the traditional broadcasts starting on the NBC network.
Oscar Night is traditionally a big event for ABC, who has broadcast the Academy Awards every year since 1976.