TV Ratings: Golden Globes Tank, FOX Tops In February

The pandemic-era Golden Globes sunk to 6.9 million viewers, down a whopping 64% from 2020 and only barely beating the year when a writer’s strike forced NBC to show a news conference announcing the winners.

Last year’s show, in the pre-lockdown era, reached 18.4 million viewers, the Associated Press reports citing Nielsen data.

NBC anticipated a ratings bloodbath, the only question was how much. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-hosted, but on separate coasts: Poehler in the show’s traditional home of the Beverly Hilton and Fey in New York’s Rainbow Room.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which runs the Golden Globes, was reeling from an investigation by The Los Angeles Times that revealed ethical lapses and the news that the organization had no Black members who voted on winners.

The shuddering sound you hear at the ratings news is coming from ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Oscars. The Academy Awards in 2020 reached a record low 23.6 million viewers, and that was also pre-lockdown.

The Oscars will be held on April 25, giving organizers hope that with more people vaccinated against COVID, it might have more in-person elements.

CBS was the most-watched network in prime time last week, averaging 4.5 million viewers. ABC had 3.9 million, NBC had 3.4 million, Fox had 2.3 million, Univision had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 1.2 million and Telemundo had 1 million.

👉Top 20 TV Prime-Time TV Shows (Total Viewers):

1. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 8.13 million.

2. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 7.87 million.

3. “The Equalizer,” CBS, 7.78 million.

4. “Golden Globe Awards,” NBC, 6.91 million.

5. “911,” Fox, 6.74 million.

6. “American Idol,” ABC, 6.61 million.

7. “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” ABC, 5.933 million.

8. “The Neighborhood,” CBS, 5.928 million.

9. “America’s Funniest Home Videos, 5.84 million.

10. “NCIS: Los Angeles, 5.83 million.

11. “Bob Hearts Abishola, CBS, 5.56 million.

12. “NCIS,” CBS, 5.47 million.

13. “The Bachelor,” ABC, 5.45 million.

14. “911: Lone Star,” Fox, 5.37 million.

15. “B Positive,” CBS, 5.19 million.

16. “Mom,” CBS, 5.18 million.

17. “Bull,” CBS, 5.112 million.

18. “This is Us,” NBC, 5.11 million.

19. “FBI,” CBS, 5.04 million.

20. “NCIS: New Orleans,” CBS, 5.03 million

ABC’s “World News Tonight” won the evening news ratings race, averaging 9.5 million viewers last week. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 7.6 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 5.8 million.

Fox News Channel topped the cable networks, averaging 2.46 million viewers in prime time. MSNBC had 1.9 million, CNN had 1.28 million, HGTV had 1.11 million and ESPN had 1.07 million.

By far the most-watched cable program last week was Fox News’ coverage of former President Donald Trump’s speech at CPAC, with 5.74 million viewers, reports TV Newser.

Various daytime and weekday prime time programs earned the number one spot in their respective timeslots in total viewers, including America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (9-11 a.m. ET) and The Faulkner Focus (11 a.m. ET), which were part of FNC’s new daytime lineup that started in mid-January, as well as Outnumbered (12 p.m. ET), The Five (5 p.m. ET), and Tucker Carlson Tonight (8 p.m. ET).

Fox News earned three of the top 5 spots on cable news in total viewers (with Tucker Carlson at No. 2 overall behind Rachel Maddow). Hannity came in 3rd in total viewers (5th in the demo), and The Five came in 4th in total viewers (but outside the top 5 in the demo).

Additionally, Life, Liberty and Levin at 8 p.m. was the most-watched cable news program on Sundays, averaging 1.9 million during the month of February.

Other cable news networks had superlatives: MSNBC came in first in all-day ratings for the first time in its history in February, and CNN had its best February ratings ever.