LOS ANGELES, March 17 (Reuters) - The Academy Awards

telecast attracted 17.9 million U.S. viewers, a 9% decrease from

the previous year and the lowest since 2022, according to

Nielsen data released by broadcaster ABC on Tuesday.

The figure for Sunday's show reflected viewing on ABC and on

the streaming service Hulu. Both are owned by Walt Disney ( DIS )

.

Hollywood handed the best picture prize to darkly comic thriller

"One Battle After Another" during the more than three-hour-long

ceremony. Comedian Conan O'Brien hosted for the second year in a

row.

Viewership for awards shows has been declining for years as

TV audiences have shifted to streaming and social media.

ABC said social impressions for the Oscars increased 42%

this year over 2025 to more than 184 million.

The highest-rated Academy Awards telecast aired in 1998,

when megahit "Titanic" swept the honors. More than 57 million

people tuned in that year.

In 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oscar ratings hit

their low point with 10.5 million viewers. The Oscars ceremony

will be moving from ABC to YouTube in 2029.