Why I Didn’t Watch the Oscars

The Oscars have historically been a night of glitz, glamour, and the best of the best in movies. But this year’s “number one night in entertainment” was actually rather underwhelming for the Academy. The Oscars drew an average of 34.3 million viewers—an eight percent decline from the previous year’s audience and the third-lowest viewership in the show’s history. Adults ages 18 to 49 (the targeted demographic for advertisers) made up less than one-third of the viewers.

To be honest, I didn’t watch the Oscars. I was one of those 18 to 49 year olds who sat this one out. I had every intention to unwind with the award show on Sunday night, but there was just one roadblock: I had no way to watch.

I don’t own a TV, let alone have cable—it’s not really an anti-technological statement so much as it just feels unnecessary. Everything I watch is available online, most of it being on Netflix. I no longer have an interest in seeing shows right as they air because I know I can simply catch up whenever it’s convenient for me. Many of my friends are the same way. Even if they do own TVs, several choose to cut the cable because streaming apps are available right on their screens.

But then something like the Oscars comes around, and I am inclined to check it out. There’s a sense of camaraderie when you know millions of others are watching the exact same thing as you at the exact same time.

These moments of “needing” a TV are few and far between, but I did want to watch the Oscars. Without a TV, however, and with the online streaming only available for people with ABC Go in select cities, that meant no Oscars for me. So I instead continued with the third season of West Wing on Netflix and caught the award show updates on my phone.

There are many factors that could’ve gone into this year’s low Oscars viewership. The#OscarsSoWhite boycott potentially being one of them. The three-plus hour show could deter some from tuning in. Others may simply just not care. But I wonder if many ran into the same issue as me, interested in watching the show but finding out it wasn’t available on our preferred medium.

So on Monday, I watched Leo’s long overdue acceptance speech for Best Actor. I read an article showcasing the red carpet’s best and worst looks. I saw the celebrities’ backstage Instagrams. And truth be told, I didn’t really feel like I missed out on much.