The 32.9 million viewers tuning into Sunday's Academy Awards represented a drop-off of more than a million from last year and Oscar's smallest audience since 2008.
The Nielsen company said Monday that viewership dipped notably from the 34.3 million who watched the ABC telecast in 2016.
In both 2014 and 2013, the awards show reached more than 40 million viewers, while 37.3 million were watching in 2015.
In 2008, just 32 million viewers tuned in.
The ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, maintained a political edge as many winners, presenters and Kimmel himself took digs at President Donald Trump.
But the most memorable twist was saved for the broadcast's final moments when presenter Faye Dunaway mistakenly declared "La La Land" as Oscar-winning best picture before the record was corrected to "Moonlight."
