Celebratory Success: "Live" Reigns Supreme After Academy Awards

Outstanding Performance: "Live With Kelly and Mark" Post-Oscars Episode Soars in Ratings

Disney's popular syndicated talk show, "Live With Kelly and Mark," continues its streak of rating victories, with its special "After the Oscars" episode achieving remarkable viewership growth. The broadcast, following the Academy Awards, saw a substantial increase in its audience compared to the previous year.

Record-Breaking Viewership: A Deep Dive into the Numbers Post-Oscars

The morning after the film "One Battle After Another" secured the Best Picture Oscar, "Live With Kelly and Mark" broadcasted directly from the Dolby Theatre, attracting an average of 3.096 million viewers. This figure represents a 13% rise from the 2.740 million viewers recorded for the same episode last year. The show also observed an 18% improvement in the women 25-54 demographic, with a 0.58 rating, along with gains in other key audience segments.

Season's Peak Performance: "Live" Reaches New Heights in Audience Engagement

This episode emerged as the most-watched "Live" installment of the current season and achieved its highest viewership since January 6, 2025. Furthermore, it garnered its best household rating (2.06) since March 11, 2024, underscoring its growing popularity.

Star-Studded Recap: Unforgettable Moments from the "After the Oscars" Special

The "After the Oscars" special, which aired on Monday, March 16, featured hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos alongside acclaimed guest musicians Wyclef Jean and Andra Day. The broadcast also included a red carpet review by comedian Matt Friend, a comprehensive recap of the Oscars' most memorable moments with comedian Leanne Morgan, a fashion commentary by Carson Kressley, and an exclusive interview with Oscars host Conan O’Brien immediately following the ceremony.

Consistent Growth: "Live's" Impressive Weekly and Yearly Performance Trends

Throughout the week, "Live" demonstrated continued growth, with a 6% increase in total viewers, climbing from 2.560 million to 2.711 million. The show also experienced a 6% boost in the women 25-54 demographic, moving from a 0.48 rating to 0.51. Disney reports that the show has shown consistent growth among women aged 25-54 over the past four weeks. On a year-over-year basis, the weekly total viewers increased by 11% (from 2.440 million to 2.711 million), and the women 25-54 demographic saw a 6% rise (from 0.48 to 0.51 rating).

Dominant Market Position: "Live" Maintains Its Leadership in Syndicated Talk

"Live" has now extended its lead in the syndicated talk show category, marking an impressive 164 consecutive weeks of dominance across all critical metrics. For the season to date, the show leads in total viewers (2.434 million), women 18-49 (0.29 rating), and women 25-54 (0.44 rating).

Methodology Behind the Metrics: Understanding Nielsen's Rating System

These Nielsen ratings are compiled from National Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings, covering the weeks of March 16 and March 9. The 2025-2026 TV season spans from September 1, 2025, to the most recent data available on March 22, 2026. Disney Entertainment is responsible for distributing "Live," which is produced by WABC-TV and executive produced by Michael Gelman and Kelly Ripa.