The 77th annual Emmy Awards, broadcast on CBS, drew a significant audience of 7.4 million viewers on Sunday night. This represents an impressive 8% increase compared to last year's ceremony, which aired on ABC, and marks the highest viewership since 2021. The success is particularly noteworthy for CBS, as their previous peak in 2021 (also 7.4 million viewers) was the last time they hosted the event. Networks NBC, Fox, and ABC were unable to surpass this number in the intervening years.
This year's total viewership encompasses both linear television viewers on CBS and live streams on Paramount+, reflecting the platform's substantial growth since the last CBS-hosted Emmys. Live streaming viewership alone experienced a remarkable 76% increase compared to 2021, demonstrating a shift in audience consumption habits. The strong performance is a stark contrast to the record-low viewership of the 75th Emmys, which aired in January 2024 against stiff competition from an NFL playoff game. The postponement of that ceremony due to the Hollywood strikes and its subsequent low ratings made the 2025 surge even more significant, representing a dramatic 54% increase.
The 2025 ceremony, hosted by Nate Bargatze, saw "The Studio" dominate, winning 13 Emmys including Outstanding Comedy Series. "The Pitt" took home Outstanding Drama Series, and "Adolescence" won for Outstanding Limited Series. While strong programming undoubtedly contributed to the high ratings, the increase is a notable indicator of the Emmys' enduring popularity and the effectiveness of CBS's broadcast strategy. The substantial growth in streaming viewership also highlights the evolving media landscape and the importance of adapting to audience preferences.
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Originally published at: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/emmys-2025-ratings-1236519497/
