Golden Globes Audience Falls to Low With Chaotic Remote Telecast

(Bloomberg) -- NBC’s Golden Globes telecast, marked by technical glitches and the awkward interactions of a mostly remote awards program, slumped to a new low for viewers.

The Feb. 28 show drew an audience of just 6.9 million, according to Nielsen data. Though that represents a 62% plunge from last year, the telecast did better than the Emmy Awards in September, said NBC, which is owned by Comcast Corp.

Even before the pandemic, ratings for award shows were sliding. The challenges of putting on a ceremony largely via videoconference has made it more difficult to create compelling entertainment. And audiences may not have been familiar with some of the films that were honored, such as “Nomadland,” which took the prize for best dramatic picture.

Read More: Netflix and Disney win big at Golden Globes in shadow of pandemic

The organization that puts on the Globes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, has been criticized for its financial practices and a lack of diversity. In a speech during Sunday’s event, leaders of the HFPA acknowledged that they haven’t put enough emphasis on inclusivity and pledged to do better.

The next test comes with the Grammy Awards, which are set to be broadcast March 14. They had been slated for Jan. 31 in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, but were pushed back when the Covid-19 caseload surged in the city.

The Oscars, the biggest awards show of them all, are slated for April 25.

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