Facing competition from the Democratic Presidential Debate (3.59 in adults 18-49, 15.791 million viewers), the annual BET Hip-Hop Awards ceremony failed to match last year’s ratings performance.
Per Nielsen cable data, BET’s broadcast drew a 0.9 adults 18-49 rating with 1.807 million viewers in the 8-10PM slot. A simulcast on MTV added a 0.2 in adults 18-49 and 372,000 total viewers.
The BET version of last year’s broadcast drew a considerably stronger 1.5 adults 18-49 rating with 2.937 million viewers.
In addition to enduring the heavy debate competition, the awards show may have also been affected by a proposed boycott related to BET’s lack of Million Man March coverage.
— BET directly followed the 2015 Hip Hop Awards with a preview of “The Westbrook” (0.8, 1.434 million viewers). That led into an encore of the awards show, which posted a 0.4 rating with 910,000 total viewers.