Due to the nature of live programming the ratings for ABC (Barbara Walters Special, Oscars Red Carpet, 82nd Academy of Awards) are approximate and subject to significant revisions in the final numbers. See below for more information on these Fast Affiliate Ratings.
| Scoreboard |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults 18-49: Rating/Share | 10.2/26 | 2.0/5 | 1.7/4 | 1.5/4 | 1.2/3 |
| Adults 18-34: Rating/Share | 8.3/24 | 1.9/6 | 1.1/3 | 1.5/4 | 0.9/3 |
| Total Viewers (million) | 33.723 | 4.315 | 6.371 | 4.034 | 4.030 |
The primetime portion (8:30-11:39pm) of the 82nd Academy Awards scored a 12.5 adults 18-49 rating in the fast affiliate ratings, that's almost 12% above the 11.2 rating in the fast affiliate ratings for the primetime portion of the 2009 telecast. ABC averaged a 10.2 adults 18-49 rating for the night, up 6% over the 9.6 rating for Academy Awards night last year. Those results will certainly be adjusted, likely substantially, in the final ratings.
We expect to see time zone adjusted ratings (likely very close to the final ratings) for the Academy Awards sometime after 3pm Eastern time today. The 2009 Academy Awards scored a 12.1 adults 18-49 rating and averaged 36.3 million viewers in the final ratings.
For some historical perspective, here is the Academy Awards ratings and viewership history.
Here is some information for the Oscars based on the Household Metered Market ratings in 56 U.S. markets:
- Academy Awards Average: From 8:30-11:39pm (the Nielsen end-time is based on the conclusion of the final national commercial spot in the program), the 82nd Annual Academy Awards telecast averaged a 26.5 Household rating, 40 share in the overnight Metered Markets.
- Top 5 Metered Markets: The Top 5 highest-rated markets for the 2010 Academy Awards telecast were Chicago (37.6 rating), West Palm (33.3 rating), Boston (33.2 rating), Kansas City (32.8 rating) and San Francisco (31.8 rating).
In non-movie star television, 60 Minutes averaged a 1.0 adults 18-49 rating and The Amazing Race was down 19% from last week to a 2.6 adults 18-49 rating rating, both were season lows. Dateline: NBC was up 44% (from 1/31/10) to a 1.3 rating. The Bad Boys II movie averaged a 1.1 rating.
| Time | Net | Show | 18-49 Rating | 18-49 Share | Viewers Live+SD (million) |
| 7:00 | ABC | The Barbara Walters Special | 4.9 | 15 | 19.245 |
| NBC | Dateline NBC | 1.2 | 4 | 5.545 | |
| CBS | 60 Minutes Presents: Blood Brothers | 0.9 | 3 | 5.392 | |
| FOX | Til Death | 0.9 | 3 | 2.334 | |
| 7:30 | ABC | The Barbara Walters Special | 5.8 | 17 | 22.705 |
| NBC | Dateline NBC | 1.3 | 4 | 5.602 | |
| FOX | Til Death | 1.1 | 3 | 2.774 | |
| CBS | 60 Minutes Presents: Blood Brothers | 1.0 | 3 | 5.768 | |
| 8:00 | ABC | Oscars Red Carpet | 8.9 | 23 | 31.603 |
| CBS | The Amazing Race | 2.6 | 7 | 8.191 | |
| FOX | The Simpsons (repeat) | 2.0 | 5 | 4.682 | |
| NBC | Dateline NBC | 1.4 | 4 | 6.103 | |
| 8:30 | ABC | 82nd Academy Awards | 12.9 | 30 | 42.111 |
| CBS | The Amazing Race | 2.6 | 6 | 7.917 | |
| FOX | The Simpsons (repeat) | 2.2 | 5 | 4.983 | |
| NBC | Bad Boys II (movie) | 0.8 | 2 | 2.587 | |
| 9:00 | ABC | 82nd Academy Awards | 12.9 | 30 | 41.699 |
| FOX | Family Guy (repeat) | 2.7 | 6 | 5.585 | |
| CBS | Undercover Boss (repeat) | 1.8 | 4 | 5.904 | |
| NBC | Bad Boys II (movie) | 1.0 | 2 | 2.887 | |
| 9:30 | ABC | 82nd Academy Awards | 12.8 | 29 | 40.323 |
| FOX | Family Guy (repeat) | 2.8 | 6 | 5.532 | |
| CBS | Undercover Boss (repeat) | 2.3 | 5 | 7.083 | |
| NBC | Bad Boys II (movie) | 1.1 | 3 | 2.996 | |
| 10:00 | ABC | 82nd Academy Awards | 12.4 | 30 | 37.844 |
| CBS | Cold Case (repeat) | 1.3 | 3 | 5.287 | |
| NBC | Bad Boys II (movie) | 1.3 | 3 | 3.217 | |
| 10:30 | ABC | 82nd Academy Awards | 11.3 | 30 | 34.254 |
| CBS | Cold Case (repeat) | 1.4 | 4 | 5.422 | |
| NBC | Bad Boys II (movie) | 1.3 | 3 | 3.305 |
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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2010 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Definitions:
Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings, including demographics, are available at approximately 11 AM (ET) the day after telecast, and are released to subscribing customers daily. These data, from the National People Meter sample, are strictly time-period information, based on the normal broadcast network feed, and include all programming on the affiliated stations, sometimes including network programming, sometimes not. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns. For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live football game, but not game coverage that begins at 5PM PT. The same would be true of Presidential debates as well as live award shows and breaking news reports.
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs which are currently in approximately 24.4% of all U.S. TV households. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
For more information see Numbers 101 and Numbers 102.
