Ellen DeGeneres hosts the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 2, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)
NEW YORK (AP) --
An estimated 43 million people watched the Academy Awards, the most-watched audience for the show in a decade and most popular entertainment event on television since the "Friends" finale in 2004.
The Nielsen company said Monday that Oscar viewership was up for the third straight year and is considered yet another example of how social media is helping to drive up the ratings for big television events. The Oscars last year were seen by 40.4 million people.
Ellen DeGeneres was host of the Academy Awards for a second time, replacing the edgy Seth MacFarlane, who had the job last year.
The Oscars, which aired Sunday, are usually the second most-watched television program of the year in the United States, after the Super Bowl.
Nikki Glaser arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
After a well-reviewed emcee debut, the Golden Globes are bringing back comedian Nikki Glaser to host the 2026 ceremony.
Dick Clark Productions, the producer of the award show, announced Thursday that Glaser will return for the 83rd Globes next January. Glaser, the first woman to host the show solo, successfully shepherded a ceremony she called "Ozempic's biggest night."
"Hosting the Golden Globes this year was without a doubt the most fun I have ever had in my career," said Glaser in a statement. "I can't wait to do it again, and this time in front of the team from 'The White Lotus' who will finally recognize my talent and cast me in Season Four as a Scandinavian Pilates instructor with a shadowy past."
The Globes, in which the top awards went to the films "The Brutalist" and "Emilia Pérez" and the TV series "Shōgun" and "Hacks," drew 9.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen, a 2% dip from the year prior. Like this year's broadcast, next year's Globes will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
"Nikki Glaser brought a refreshing spark and fearless wit to the Golden Globes stage this year," said Globes President Helen Hoehne. "Her sharp humor, and bold presence set the tone for an unforgettable night, making the ceremony feel vibrant and most of all fun."
