Ratings: Virtual ACM Awards on CBS Hit All-Time Lows in Key Demo and Viewers

CBS’ 55th annual Academy of Country Music Awards hit all-time lows in both TV ratings and total viewers on Wednesday, the first (and hopefully last) time the ACMs went virtual. However, CBS still managed an easy primetime win against its broadcast competition. Hosted by Keith Urban, last night’s ACM Awards drew a 1.0 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic, down from the previous low of 1.6 that 2019’s show — which aired on a Sunday — put up. In terms of total viewers, the show scored 6.589 million viewers, the smallest audience the show has seen since its former record low of 9.275 million in 2007, when the show aired on a Tuesday for the third year in a row. CBS was first in ratings with a 1.0 rating/7 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 6.6 million, according to preliminary numbers. The ACM Awards aired from 8-11 p.m., filling primetime. NBC, Fox (which aired only reruns) and Univision tied for second in ratings, each with a 0.4 rating. NBC and Fox had 3 shares, while Univision had a 2. NBC was second in total viewers with 3.1 million, Fox was third with 1.6 million and Univision was fifth with 1.2 million. For NBC, “America’s Got Talent” at 8 p.m. took a 0.6/4 and 5.1 million viewers. Repeats followed. Telemundo was fifth in ratings with a 0.3/2 and sixth in total viewers with 1 million. ABC and The CW tied for sixth in ratings, both with a 0.2. ABC, which had a 1 shared, was fourth in total viewers with 1.5 million. The CW, which had a 1 share, was seventh in total viewers with 719,000. For ABC, following encores, the ABC News special “Notre-Dame: Our Lady of Paris” from 9-11 managed a 0.2/1 and 1.4 million viewers. For The CW, “The 100” at 8 p.m. received a 0.2/1 and 683,000 viewers. At 9, “Coroner” settled for a 0.1/1 and 754,000 viewers.