A drop in Oscars viewing figures and broadcasters’ plans for Paralympics coverage.

90 academy awards winners

90th Academy Awards Winners

26.5m

US viewers watched the 90th Academy Awards. Data released by Nielsen revealed that this year’s Oscars ceremony drew its smallest-ever TV audience. In 2017, some 32.9m people watched the show. This year’s ceremony attracted fewer viewers than 2008, the previous record low year, when some 32m people watched the show. 

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Year media rights deal has been secured by Sony Pictures Network India to broadcast overseas cricket in the Indian subcontinent. The deal has been signed to telecast and stream online the matches played in England giving Sony access to more than 80 international matches played by both men’s and women’s teams from 2018 to 2022.

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Hours will be dedicated to the coverage of the 2018 Paralympic Games in PyeongChang across the NBC Olympics channels. NBCOlympics.com, NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and the NBC Sports app will cover the six sports with a total of the 80 medals up for grabs. 

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British Parliamentary debate was broadcast this week, marking the first ever coverage with sign language interpretation.  

Walking dead

The Walking Dead

6.8 million

Total live views on Sunday night’s episode of The Walking Dead. This marks the weakest return in numbers for the series since its lowest viewership of 8.3 million viewers.

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Regional rugby games will be aired on BBC Two Wales next season after the BBC lost its deal to continue broadcasting Pro14 matches. Viewers will no longer be able to watch the games on free-to-air TV.