The Oscars will start one hour earlier for the first time.
To ensure the show wraps within primetime hours, the Academy announced this year’s telecast, set to air live on Sunday, March 10, will be programmed from 7:00-10:30 p.m. EST / 4:00-7:30 p.m. PST. A 30-minute pre-show will lead into the live ceremony, and immediately following the ceremony, ABC will air a new episode of its Emmy-winning comedy series, “Abbott Elementary.” (it’s got to be an Oscars-themed episode, right?)
The hit mockumentary series created, produced, written and starring Quinta Brunson has been nominated for eight Emmys for its sophomore season including outstanding comedy series.
After the Oscars’ live presentation, the telecast will be rebroadcast in the Pacific Time zone.
As previously announced, Emmy Award winner Jimmy Kimmel is back to emcee the ceremony for the fourth time. Raj Kapoor will serve as showrunner and executive producer, with Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan serving as executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is set to direct the telecast.
The 2023 Oscars ratings saw a bump in viewership, attracting an average audience of 18.8 total million viewers, up 13% from the previous figures. It outperformed the 2023 Grammys and Emmys by more than double. The ceremony earned a 4.0 rating in the adults 18-49 key demo, pushing it to three-year highs in both total viewers and demo — up 5% since 2020.
The 96th Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood (formerly known as Hollywood and Highland) and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
The practice of airing a new episode of a TV series behind the Oscars mirrors the Super Bowl tradition of airing a program after the big game to take advantage of the tremendous lead-in audience. Although not Super Bowl-level numbers, the Oscars still normally rates as one of the most-watched live events of the year (outside sports). And with strike-delayed series finally returning to the air this spring, ABC is likely looking at the Oscars as a big promotional opportunity to drive audiences back to shows they’ve missed, including priority series like “Abbott Elementary.”