Golden Globes enjoy 50 percent boost in ratings

Reviews have been poor for Sunday’s 81st Golden Globes, but the telecast pulled in an average of

9.4 million viewers, up about 50 percent from last year, according to CBS.

The ceremony had the benefit of an NFL lead-in, as well as a starry gathering that included Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo Dicaprio and Bruce Springsteen. The night’s biggest winner, “Oppenheimer,” was also a huge ticket-seller, with nearly $1 billion in box office.

But the broadcast hosted by comedian Jo Koy came under criticism for a fumbled opening monologue and a rushed pace.

Still more viewers tuned in than they have since before the pandemic. Back in 2020, 18.4 million watched the Globes.

The ratings were a marked improvement over last year’s Globes. That telecast, hosted by Jerrod Carmichael and aired on a Tuesday, attracted 6.3 million viewers, a new low for the ceremony on NBC. At their peak, the Globes often drew closer to 20 million viewers.

Amid the decline of linear television, all award shows have struggled to reach the numbers they once did. But the Globes have been tested especially. After The Los Angeles Times reported that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association had no Black members, Hollywood boycotted the organization and the 2022 Globes were booted off the air.

They returned in 2023 on a oneyear trial with NBC, but the Globes’ network home for decades dropped the show. CBS last month signed on to air Sunday’s show.

Sunday’s broadcast was a crucial test for the revamped Globes. Following the scandals, the awards were acquired by Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions and turned into a for-profit venture. The HFPA was dissolved and a group of some 300 entertainment journalists from around the world was formed to vote on the awards.