Sunday's Oscars Telecast Snares 10-year Ratings High

The ratings are in, and the producers behind the 86th Academy Awards telecast have reason to cheer.

The 86th Academy Awards was watched by 43.0 viewers last night. The ratings for Sunday’s telecast, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres for the first time since 2007, were up 6 percent from last year’s audience. The figure represents the best viewership numbers since 2004 when Lord of the Rings: Return of the King snared Best Picture honors.

Among adults 18-49, the 2014 Oscars had a 12.9 rating for the more than 3-hour show that saw Beat Original Song performances from U2, Pharrell Williams, Karen O and Frozen’s Idina Menzel and 12 Years A Slave take home Best Picture. Last night’s demo result just a hair under than the 13.0 fast national that the 2013 Oscars had.