Sunday, February 25, 2007 - Fast National Ratings

The "Academy Awards" Grow Year to Year in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Posting the Annual Telecast's Highest Adult 18-34 Number in 5 Years

TV's Most-Watched Entertainment Telecast of the 2006-07 TV Season, ABC's "Oscars" is a Much Bigger Draw Than Any Other Awards Show This Season, Including the "Emmys," the "Grammys" and the "Golden Globes"

The "79th Annual Academy Awards" (8:30 p.m. - 11:59 a.m.) ABC's telecast of the "79th Annual Academy Awards" attracted an average audience of 39.9 million viewers and posted a 14.0 rating among Adults 18-49, based on Nielsen's "fast national" ratings.

* The 2007 "Academy Awards" telecast was up over last year in both Total Viewers (39.9 million vs. 38.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (14.0 rating vs. 13.9 rating). The "Oscars" telecast was also up 8% over last year in Adults 18-34 (12.9 vs. 12.0), while delivering ratings increases across the key women demographics: Women 18-34 +15% (16.2 vs. 14.1), Women 18-49 +6% (17.1 vs. 16.2) and Women 25-54 + 3% (19.1 vs. 18.5). In fact the Ellen DeGeneres-hosted "Oscars" posted the annual awards show's highest Adult 18-34 rating in 5 years - since 2002.

* TV's most-watched entertainment telecast of the 2006-07 TV Season, the average audience for ABC's "79th Annual Academy Awards" (39.9 million) far surpassed other awards shows this season, including the 2006 "Emmy Awards" (16.2 million), the 2007 "Golden Globes" (20.0 million) and the 2007 "Grammy Awards" (20.1 million).

* The "79th Annual Academy Awards" reached an estimated 74.84 million television viewers across the U.S. - unduplicated viewers watching 6 minutes or more during the 3-1/2 hour telecast. Nielsen reports that 87.03 million watched at least 1 minute or more of the broadcast.

Source: Nielsen Media Research (Fast National Ratings) - 2/25/07.