Ratings: Tony Awards Broadcast Flirts With Record Lows

Pathetic. I am surprised, but grateful, that CBS still holds onto this broadcast. Any advertiser would grimace at these demo and viewership numbers.

Broadway may have had a record-setting year at the box office, but that didn’t translate to viewers for the Tony Awards on CBS, as Sunday’s telecast — opposite ABC’s dominant coverage of the NBA Finals — delivered one of the event’s smallest audiences ever.

According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, the “69th Annual Tony Awards” averaged a 0.9 rating/3 share in adults 18-49 and 6.35 million viewers overall on CBS from 8 to 11. It was down 25% in the demo (from 1.2 rating) and 9% in total viewers (7.05 million) from last year. This is the lowest-ever demo rating for the kudocast (though it could round up to a 1.0 in the nationals, which would match the score for 2012), but it managed to avoid an outright record-low in total viewership, which remains the 6.01 million who watched in 2012; 2007 (6.22 million) and 2008 (6.27 million) were also lower than last night’s 6.4 million.

Variety: Tony Awards Ratings Flirt With Record Lows

Thanl god for the Thnak You CBS thread so its worth there while.

And puppy bowel.

But not the Kitten Bowl.

Of course they have hedgehogs for referees so it's not really a fair comparison.

I wonder if the lower ratings have to do with the delayed broadcast to the West Coast. I mean, last night I "watched" live on a stream for the most part, and then only tuned in to the actual broadcast on CA for about 30 minutes of my favorite parts that I wanted to see on a bigger (and clearer) screen. I can't imagine that I'm the only only one who did that

I think if CBS wants the higher ratings, it should be live for the whole country.

^ agreed

Rich white OLD people. Headrand's only two of those things.

Still the Tony Awards are a big money maker for CBS

That's just completely inaccurate. You really need to provide a source to back up this absolutely ridiculous claim. Advertisers pay for the industry key demo, not for "rich white people."

I can't help but wonder what they could do to try to attract younger, now more "Hollywood" talent to try to attract some more ratings. Sure Helen Mirren and Denzel Washington types are great, but what about trying to get people who started on Broadway more involved - Anna Kendrick, Ariana Grande, etc who have a younger fan base. Having Jennifer Lopez there is confusing as there are no ties to Broadway.

I like them both as performers, but Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming both have two annoying (speaking) voices for an entire evening... Esepcially together.

What is up with you? Does everything have to be snide?

Nothing's up with me Fantod. Some people are members of the Latin Club because they love dead languages. Others want to find thriving new languages to speak. One is forward looking, one is backward looking. Both have their pleasures.

Learn new languages for them. Also, Star Trek fans.

You really think the people who tuned into the NBA Finals would also tune into the Tony Awards? Hmmm.....Haawww...