Golden Globes Draws Lowest Ratings Number Ever

The Golden Globes returned to television Tuesday night, but that did not mean it suddenly reversed trends and earned more viewers. It was the lowest-rated Golden Globes broadcast in history. The show barely drew more viewers than CBS’ FBI shows.

The 80th Golden Globes drew just 6.3 million people, according to Nielsen data, reports Deadline. This was a decrease from the 6.9 million viewers who tuned in to the 2021 ceremony, and a big drop from the 18.3 million viewers the 2020 ceremony drew. Tuesday’s ceremony also had a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic, a decrease from the 2021 ceremony’s 1.5 rating.

NBC declined to air the ceremony in 2022, as Hollywood boycotted the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its lack of diversity. The HFPA is the small group of journalists who present the Globes. When NBC agreed to broadcast the 2023 show, the network only signed a one-year deal.

The show was also streamed live on Peacock and other digital platforms. Streaming data is unavailable so far, but it’s unlikely that it will provide a significant boost. Nielsen will release that information later this week when Live+3-day delated viewing data is published.

Award shows typically air on Sunday nights, but NBC was not going to sacrifice a Sunday Night Football game for a controversial awards show. The move paid off for the network, as over 23.6 million viewers tuned in for the Lions and Packers game. The Globes still had a stiff competition on Tuesday night. CBS averaged 6.1 million viewers across its three FBI shows. Notably, NBC and CBS only competed for viewers on the East Coast, since the Globes aired live across the country.

Comedian Jerrod Carmichael hosted the Globes live from the Beverly Hilton. The Banshees of Inisherin was the top-awarded movie, winning Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for Colin Farrell, and Best Screenplay for Martin McDonagh. Everything Everywhere All at Once stars Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh also won awards, while Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans won Best Director and Best Motion Picture – Drama.

ABC’s Abbott Elementary won Best Musical or Comedy Series, while Tyler James Williams and Quina Brunson also won for their performances on the show. The White Lotus won Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film and House of the Dragon won Best Drama Series. Yellowstone earned its first Golden Globe as Kevin Costner won Best Actor in a Drama Series. Eddie Murphy received the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, and Ryan Murphy received the Carole Burnett Lifetime Achievement Award.