Oscars Hit 10-Year High With 43 Million Viewers

Ellen DeGeneres' second time hosting the Oscars brought in the show's biggest audience in 10 years, with 43 million viewers tuning into Sunday's 86th Annual Academy Awards on ABC from 8:30-11:41 p.m. ET, according to Nielsen fast-nationals.

The 43 million is up 7% from last year's Seth MacFarlane-hosted kudosfest.

Among adults 18-49 however, Sunday's Oscars averaged a 12.9 rating, a slight dip from last year's 13.0 rating. The show was up among a few younger demographics, rising 1% with adults 18-34 and 8% among persons 12-17.

Sunday's telecast was up 6% in total viewers from the last time Ellen DeGeneres hosted in 2007 (40.2 million viewers), but down 9% from the 14.1 rating in the adults 18-49 demo.

The Oscars Red Carpet Special averaged a 7.1 rating in the demo from 7-8:30 p.m. ET, up a tenth from last year. ABC easily won the night with an overall 10.2 rating/26 share.

ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars also saw its best ratings in its nine-year run, up 22% to just under 7 million total viewers. The post-Oscar special also improved 20% among adults 18-49 to 2.4 million viewers.

CBS was the other only network to schedule original programming against the Oscars. 60 Minutes rose 8% from last week to a 1.4 while The Amazing Race matched last week's series low 1.5 rating.