Primetime Ratings: 2013 Oscars Draw 40 Million Viewers, Most Watched in Three Years

Seth MacFarlane hosted telecast improves 11% in key adults-18-49 demo

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/25/2013 11:35:00 AM

RELATED: Blog: TV Review—The 85th Annual Academy Awards

Updated: 5:11 p.m. ET

ABC's 85^th Annual Academy Awards telecast hosted by Seth MacFarlane averaged 40.3 million total viewers on Sunday from 8:30-11:40 p.m., according to Nielsen fast national ratings, making it the most-watched Oscars telecast since 2010.

The audience was up 3% from last year's awards hosted by Billy Crystal and improved 11% among the key adults 18-49 demographic to a 13.0 rating. Unsurprisingly, the hosting turn by MacFarlane, best known for Family Guy, showed even greater gains among young and male viewers, up 20% with adults 18-34, up 34% with men 18-34 and 16% with men 18-49.

Overall, ABC easily won the night with a 10.1 rating/25 share. The Oscars Red Carpet Live! Special drew a 7.0 from 7-8:30 p.m. ET, up 9% from last year.

ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars also saw its best ratings in its eight-year run, up 15% to 5.8 million total viewers. The post-Oscar special also improved 9% among adults 18-49 to 2 million viewers.

The rest of the primetime schedule was in repeats except for a new episode of The Amazing Race, which declined 25% to a 1.8.