THB #485: Why Oscar Should Be Earlier (Again!)
This is an issue that I have been writing about and chewing on for more than a decade. Why does The Academy feel compelled to create such a wide space between the end of the year of film that the Oscars celebrates and The Oscar Show?
I really wasn’t thinking about it… until it came up on Twitter and an old friend spouted some ancient thinking about why March Oscars is important to the future of the award show. So I decided to look at the numbers instead of the feelings.
14 of the first 24 Oscar awards (pre-television) were held in March.
Oscar shows for the next 30 years (1953 - 1983) were held in March 10 times and April 20 times.
Since 1984, it’s been 25 shows in March (including this year), 13 in February, and 3 in April.
40 million viewers plus was the norm through the 2007 Oscars, won by The Departed. In the 15 years up until then, the count dipped below 40 million just twice, with 38 million (2003) and 39 million (2006). The only time it passed 50 million was the much discussed Titanic year, with 55 million viewers… a feat which has served as fool’s gold ever since.
After 2 years in a row of Oscar viewing under 40 million after The Departed (2008/09), the Best Picture Expansion to 10 (and in some years, as many as 10) nominees took place. This will be the 15th Oscar show under The Expansion.
In the first year, the numbers spiked, from 36 million to 42 million. The battle was seen as being between The Hurt Locker and Avatar. In it’s 12th weekend, Avatar was still over $8 million on the weekend of the Oscars. Interestingly, in its 14th weekend, Titanic had grossed $17 million on its Oscar-winning weekend. Hmmm…
So… what else has changed in the 15 years of The Expansion?
Streaming.
Academy Streaming Platform.
Deterioration of Broadcast Ratings.
Shorter Theatrical Windows.
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