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Oscars 2016 TV Ratings Are Lowest In Years

Early ratings appear to show that the Oscars ain’t what they used to be…

According to Entertainment Weekly, the 88th Academy Awards may have hit an eight-year low when it comes to TV ratings last night… despite a great reception for host, Chris Rock.

“Nielsen’s preliminary number has the 88th annual Academy Awards at a 23.1 household rating among major markets and a 37 share, dipping slightly from last year,” they revealed. “If the numbers hold up in the afternoon nationals, this will put Sunday’s Oscar telecast at a seven-year-low, at least.”

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All this, despite Leonardo DiCaprio’s record-breaking Oscar win.

Of course, Oscar host Chris Rock really pulled it out of the bag, despite significant negativity in the run-up to the awards, surrounding the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

In fact, many in the industry are hailing his performance as a resounding success… and with the host tackling the #OscarsSoWhite controversy head on, it looks as though it was an Oscar night to remember.

But perhaps not for TV audiences.

“Oscar viewership tends to hinge on the popularity of the most-honored movies,” explained EW, “and insiders predicted a possible ratings drop given a heavy focus on indie titles like best picture winner Spotlight, along with films such as Room, The Danish Girl, and Brooklyn.”

But is there a more progressive reason for the ratings drop?

The Rev. Al Sharpton has since taken some credit for the sharp decline in Oscars ratings, stating that it should “send a message to the Academy and to movie studio heads.”

In an official statement, he explained that he feels it’s “heartening to those of us that campaigned around asking citizens to tune out” in the wake of #OscarsSoWhite.

“Though clearly we don’t take full credit for the decline, certainly one would have to assume we were effective and part of the decline,” he said. “And to those that mocked the idea of a tune out, it seems the joke was on them.”

Sharpton himself led a protest in Hollywood on Sunday afternoon – on the very day of the Academy Awards – vowing to escalate protests if next year’s Oscar nominations aren’t a bit more diverse.

“This is not about actors and actresses getting awards, this is about inclusion and the respect of ticket buyers and viewers who are ordinary struggling American citizens who have been marginalized,” Sharpton said. “For those that live and work in Los Angeles in the movie industry and can’t get jobs because people from their community can’t get deals because there is no one there to greenlight their films and work, this ought to send a message to Hollywood that it is time for a change.”

Did it really make a difference?

That remains up for debate… but the Oscar ratings took a bit of a blow.

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Picture Credit: WENN