By the Numbers, Ellen Is the Best Oscar Host Since Ellen
If you just look at the numbers, Ellen should host the Oscars every year. Ratings-wise, last night's Academy Awards broadcast hosted by Ellen DeGeneres was the most successful since the last time the Academy Awards were hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.
.If you just look at the numbers, Ellen should host the Oscars every year. Ratings wise, last night's Academy Awards broadcast hosted by Ellen DeGeneres was the most successful since the last time the Academy Awards were hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.
According to early data from The Hollywood Reporter, the 86th Academy Awards scored a 27.9 average rating – the highest since 2007's 27.7, when Ellen first helmed the show, and up roughly 4 percent from last year, with Seth MacFarlane as host.
Deadline reports that 43 million people tuned in to last night's telecast, the best mark in a decade. Ellen's numbers were down very slightly in the coveted 18-34 demographic (12.9 to Seth's 13), however, presumably because the dude from Family Guy can pull an audience that skews younger than a daytime talk show host.
Overall, Oscar ratings have hovered around 40 million since 2001, aside from 2008 when the bottom fell out and a comparatively paltry 32 million watched the broadcast (looking at you, Jon Stewart).
Ellen's Oscar telecast did pretty well on social media, too. According to Nielsen SocialGuide, the show generated 11.2 million tweets from almost 3 million users, and concluded with more than 1 billion Twitter TV impressions (that record-breaking tweet probably didn't hurt).
Oscar producers insist that Ellen wasn't the "safe" choice as a response to last year's Seth "We saw your boobs" MacFarlane, at least in terms of content. But she may very well be the safe choice in terms of ratings. Though she's garnered mixed reviews for her second hosting performance, producers have to be pleased with the numbers. So why not ask Ellen back next year? If it's not broke, right? Sure, it might be boring, but for an annual broadcast when every year seems to have the same theme (movies, you know?), is compelling entertainment really the primary concern?
One interesting note: Ellen has now hosted the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys all twice. Let's hook her up with the Tonys and get her a double EGOT for hosting.
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