The viewership for this years Emmy Awards on Fox has continued to decline. According to Nielsen data 4.3 million people tuned in to watch the Emmys on Monday night, marking the lowest viewership ever recorded. The previous year’s Emmys managed to attract 5.9 million viewers, which was also considered low.
These ratings have brought the Emmys close to the Tony Awards, which historically have had a smaller audience. However, there was an improvement in June when 4.3 million people watched the Tonys. The final numbers for the Emmys will be released on Wednesday. They may show an increase from these preliminary figures.
There were factors working against the Emmys this year. The ceremony had been delayed by four months due to strikes by screenwriters and actors making it one of the most significant postponements in over two decades. Additionally, Monday night’s competition was fierce as it went up against a football playoff game and the Iowa caucuses.
While ratings for the football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were not yet available, playoff games generally attract over 25 million viewers. 4.7 million individuals tuned in to watch the cable news networks between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., for the Iowa returns, as per the Nielsen data.
The Emmys also faced competition from other award shows. The big winners on Monday night such as “Succession,” “The Bear ” and “Beef,” had already received recognition at the Golden Globes week. The Critics Choice Awards were also held on the previous Sunday. Against a rerun of a network television shows, the Emmys struggled to maintain viewership.
A repeat episode of “NCIS” on CBS at 8 p.m. on Monday night benefitted from being preceded by another playoff football game attracted 4.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. Although major award shows have experienced audience numbers compared to a decade ago most have recently seen ratings improve. The Oscars ratings have increased for two years as have those of the Grammys.
Amidst scandals, the Golden Globes witnessed a rise in viewership last week. The responsibility cannot be solely placed on the telecast hosted by Anthony Anderson, aired on Fox.
The ceremony received feedback overall with critics praising the cast reunions, from shows like “Cheers,” “Ally McBeal,” and “Greys Anatomy,” that were organized to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the awards.
Don’t worry, the Emmys will be back soon! The next ceremony is scheduled for September and it will be broadcasted on ABC.
