The Oscars 2022 was an event that caused huge ripples to wash over Hollywood. The assault on Chris Rock by Will Smith, one of the biggest and most venerated stars in the industry, made the audience and the Academy reorient their outlook and focus their priorities. And although the slapgate became a sensational topic leading to months of disarray, shifting loyalties, and social media scrutiny, this was not the only cause behind the Oscars dwindling ratings.
The Oscars Suffer Through Plunging Ratings
For the past couple of years, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has been taking hits when it comes to viewership and audience ratings. The industry’s most definitive and respectable institution that determines and celebrates the year’s achievements has then had to shift its focus from broadcasting to streaming. In a joint statement released by the Academy’s CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang, they declared the otherwise live-television show will now be focusing on the possibility of shifting to streaming.
The 94th Academy Awards currently holds the record for having the second-lowest viewership in its history at 16.6 million only. Since then, the Academy administration has taken drastic steps to boost that number. According to Kramer,
“I think bringing on producers for multiple years is advisable and we are working on that, as well. The 95th gives us a great opportunity to knit together the incredible legacy of the Oscars, the diverse and powerful work we do across the Academy, and our vision for the future.”
The hiring of Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner was also confirmed in mid-September as producers for the 95th Academy Awards. Their expertise in live-televised events confirms that the Oscars chief has been looking to remedy the gala event from becoming a subject of faltering views.
Chris Rock is in Demand to Host the 95th Academy Awards
Chris Rock‘s inherent humiliation and public spectacle on live television in front of millions of audience and viewers were expected to be resolved with much dramatization and closure in the public eye. However, the stand-up comedian exited the spotlight in favor of his Ego Death World Tour 2022, and despite multiple apologies and extension of the olive branch on Will Smith‘s part, Rock stays adamant about not caring about it all anymore.
The Academy had extended an offer to the comedian to return to host the event in 2023 which he assuredly declined. Now, as the year rolls around to a close, an industry expert shares his opinion about the resolution to the issue. According to Jeff Sneider of The Ankler, the opportunity to have Chris Rock back will be a surer way to boost the Oscar ratings while others are not too keen to see that happen.
With the internet taking sides, as usual, it still remains a matter of concern that the century-old institution would remain stagnant in network broadcasting and taped airing, which has also added to controversies over the years. Coupled with allegations of whitewashing [#OscarsSoWhite], it seems a long and winding road before the Oscars can get back on their feet and become an event of the magnitude that it was originally meant to be.
Source: Twitter
