Maria Bakalova, from left, Andra Day and Regina King are interviewed and Marlee Matlin walks the red carpet at the Oscars on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark Terrill, Pool)
NEW YORK (AP) --
The Academy Awards television audience on ABC plunged to 9.85 million viewers, less than half of Oscars' previous low and continuing the startling trend of viewer tune out for awards shows.
The Nielsen company's preliminary estimate released Monday shows that the audience to watch "Nomadland" win best picture was 58% below last year's tally of 23.6 million, the prior low-water mark.
Producers tried a hostless event Sunday night with a small audience of nominees and guests who weren't wearing masks. But in a year where movie theaters were mostly closed due to the pandemic, people were either unfamiliar with or unexcited about movies they primarily streamed at home.
Both the Golden Globes (6.9 million viewers) and Grammy Awards (9.2 million) had record low audiences earlier this year.
The Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) will present actor Kathy Bates with the 2025 Television Showperson of the Year Award at the 62nd ICG Publicists Awards luncheon on Friday, Feb. 28.
This annual award honors an individual whose accomplishments in television best represent that special spirit traditionally defined as showmanship, a quality exemplified by Bates, whose decades-long career includes an acclaimed role as the title character in CBS’s 2024 remake of “Matlock.”
With her first major screen role as Annie Wilkes in “Misery,” Bates won the Academy Award® for Best Actress. She has also earned 14 Emmy® Award nominations, including two wins for “Two and a Half Men” and “American Horror Story: Coven.” Bates’ notable television roles include “Harry’s Law,” “Disjointed” and several sessions of “American Horror Story,” as well as lauded guest roles on “Six Feet Under” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.” For her work in “Matlock,” Bates won a Satellite Award and received Golden Globe, Critics Choice and SAG awards nominations.
“Kathy Bates has consistently captivated audiences with her versatility, depth and the sheer power she brings to every role,” shared ICG Publicists Awards chairs Tim Menke and Sheryl Main in a joint statement. “It’s our honor to celebrate her unrivaled career and dedication to her craft.”
Previous recipients of the Television Showperson of the Year Award include Sir Patrick Stewart, Ava DuVernay, Greg Berlanti, Quinta Brunson, John Landgraf, Shonda Rhimes, Aaron Spelling and Bob Hope. The awards ceremony will take place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
