On the heels of a chaotic awards season, one lesson is clear from awards show telecasts: stay on linear and watch ratings dwindle, or expand viewership with a livestream component and see ratings rebound.
The 2025 awards season marked a pivotal moment for streaming. The Oscars were live-streamed for the first time on Hulu, the Grammys and Golden Globes already had live-streaming established on Paramount+, and the SAG Awards marked a second year with a Netflix livestream. And the Emmys are gearing up for a cross-platform telecast on CBS and Paramount+ this September.
Though Sunday’s Oscars faced some technological glitches on Hulu, the ceremony’s first-ever livestream boosted the 97th Academy Awards to its biggest audience in five years.