How many will watch? Contrary to conventional wisdom awards shows are not dying. Ratings went up last year for the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and the Tonys, among others. Ratings may be more important to the Golden Globe folks. The majority of Hollywood Foreign Press Association operating budget comes from what they get for the TV rights. Less viewers eventually means less money they get from the network showing their event.
In Hiring Ricky Gervais, Golden Globes Pursue Ratings
For months, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, NBC and Dick Clark Productions have puzzled over a perennial question: How do we prop up the sagging ratings for the Golden Globes?
Last year’s attempt — turning up the star wattage and building a more elaborate set — fell short of a solution. About 15 million people watched the telecast, a big improvement from the previous year, when the gala was scratched because of a writers’ strike, and only six million tuned in to watch the news conference that replaced it. But the audience for last year’s show was still down sharply from 2007, when over 20 million watched. The high-water mark came in 2004 with about 27 million viewers. ● More from: NYTimes.com
