The 98th Academy Awards telecast drew 17.9 million U.S. viewers on ABC and Hulu, a 9% drop from last year's post-pandemic high of 19.7 million and the lowest audience since 2022, according to Nielsen data released by broadcaster ABC on Tuesday.
Paul Thomas Anderson's darkly comic thriller "One Battle After Another" won best picture, along with five other Oscars including best director for Anderson, capping a dominant awards-season run for the film during the more than three-hour ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Comedian Conan O'Brien returned as host for his second consecutive year, delivering an opening monologue that included jokes about artificial intelligence, the show's future platform shift, and celebrity culture.
Viewership for major awards shows, including the Oscars, has trended downward for years amid broader shifts in media consumption toward streaming platforms and social media. Despite the TV audience decline, social engagement surged: ABC reported more than 184 million social impressions for the 2026 Oscars, a 42% increase from 2025.The all-time high for the telecast remains 1998, when more than 57 million viewers tuned in as "Titanic" dominated the awards.
The modern low point came in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with just 10.5 million viewers.
Looking ahead, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has partnered with YouTube for exclusive global rights to the Oscars and related content starting in 2029 (the 101st ceremony) and running through 2033. The event will stream live and free worldwide on YouTube, with YouTube TV handling U.S. access, marking the end of its long run on broadcast television after ABC's rights conclude in 2028.