TV audience for Emmy awards dives to all-time low
The U.S. television audience for the Emmy Awards show, celebrating the best of television, slumped to 6.9 million viewers, its lowest ever level, but the show was a hit on social media.
According to Nielsen ratings data on Monday, the TV audience dropped by more than 32% from last year’s ceremony, which at the time was a record low of 10.2 million U.S. viewers.
The Emmy awards, broadcast live on Fox on Sunday, awarded its highest honors to medieval fantasy drama and fan favorite “Game of Thrones” and quirky British comedy “Fleabag.”
The three-hour ceremony in Los Angeles was broadcast without a host against stiff competition from “Sunday Night Football” on NBC which drew the largest audience on Sunday with 16.3 million viewers.
Major award shows have been losing ground with the public in recent years, although the Oscars in February, which featured performances by rock band Queen and Lady Gaga, bucked the trend by rising some 10 percent to some 29.6 million U.S. viewers.
Yet Nielsen and Fox data showed that despite the slump in TV viewers, the awards show was the most social program across broadcast and cable television. Interactions on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were up 11% over 2018, the data showed.
On Twitter, “Game of Thrones” was the most tweeted about show, followed by social justice drama “When They See Us,” nuclear accident series “Chernobyl,” “Fleabag” and thriller “Killing Eve.”
Nielsen television ratings only count those watching at home, not in public bars, restaurants or other venues.
Emmy Winners: The Full List of 2019 Awards
“Game of Thrones” won best drama for the fourth time at the Emmy Awards on Sunday night, ending its eight-season run on a high note. “Fleabag” took home four awards, including best comedy.
Read about the best and worst moments of the Emmys and everything that happened at the awards ceremony. See photos from backstage and see the best looks from the red carpet.
Billy Porter of “Pose” became the first openly gay man to win an Emmy for best lead actor in a drama.
Michelle Williams spoke out against the gender pay gap in Hollywood during her acceptance speech after winning an Emmy for her role in “Fosse/Verdon.”
The Emmys went without a host, but had the actor and comedian Thomas Lennon join as an announcer. That didn’t go too well.
Patricia Arquette won an Emmy for her performance in “The Act” and called for equal rights for transgender people in a heartfelt speech about her sister, Alexis.
During the in memoriam montage, the show sought to commemorate André Previn, a composer, except they showed a picture of Leonard Slatkin, who is very much alive.
The major winners of the 71st annual Primetime Emmy Awards are listed below. Additional winners can be found at emmys.com.
Best Comedy
“Fleabag” (Amazon)
Best Drama
“Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Best Limited Series
“Chernobyl” (HBO)
Best Actress, Comedy
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag”
Best Actor, Comedy
Bill Hader, “Barry”
Best Actress, Drama
Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve”
Best Actor, Drama
Billy Porter, “Pose”
Best Actress, Limited Series or TV Movie
Michelle Williams, “Fosse/Verdon”
Best Actor, Limited Series or TV Movie
Jharrel Jerome, “When They See Us”
Supporting Actress, Comedy
Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Supporting Actor, Comedy
Tony Shalhoub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Supporting Actress, Drama
Julia Garner, “Ozark”
Supporting Actor, Drama
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie
Patricia Arquette, “The Act”
Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie
Ben Whishaw, “A Very English Scandal”
Television Movie
“Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” (Netflix)
Variety Sketch Series
Editors’ Picks
How to Boil the Perfect Egg
What Omnivores Get Wrong About Vegetarian Cooking
Paul Theroux’s Mexican Journey
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Variety Talk Series
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (HBO)
Reality Competition Program
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1)
*Reality Host
RuPaul, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
*Structured Reality Program
“Queer Eye” (Netflix)
*Unstructured Reality Program
“United Shades of America With W. Kamau Bell” (CNN)
*Guest Actress, Comedy
Jane Lynch, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
*Guest Actor, Comedy
Luke Kirby, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
*Guest Actress, Drama
Cherry Jones, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
*Guest Actor, Drama
Bradley Whitford, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
*Documentary or Nonfiction Series
“Our Planet” (Netflix)
*Animated Program
“The Simpsons” (Fox)
Writing for a Comedy Series
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag” (“Episode 1”)
Writing for a Drama Series
Jesse Armstrong, “Succession” (“Nobody Is Ever Missing”)
Writing for a Limited Series or Movie
Craig Mazin, “Chernobyl”
Writing for a Variety Series
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (HBO)
Directing for a Comedy Series
Harry Bradbeer, “Fleabag” (“Episode 1”)
Directing for a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, “Ozark” (“Reparations”)
Directing for a Limited Series or Movie
Johan Renck, “Chernobyl”
Directing for a Variety Series
Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live” (“Host: Adam Sandler”)
