Carrie Underwood [FOX]
Sunday’s “American Country Countdown Awards” ceremony was certainly not a ratings blockbuster, but it did manage to slightly outperform last year’s broadcast.
According to fast national data posted by Showbuzz, the 2016 edition of the “ACCA” averaged a 1.0 adults 18-49 rating and 3.81 million total viewers. The previous ceremony, which aired on Monday, December 15, 2014, averaged a 0.9 and 3.39 million.
The competitive element is worth considering. While this year’s show faced “Little Big Shots” and the Radio Disney Music Awards at 8PM and then “Game Of Thrones” and “Fear The Walking Dead” at 9PM, both hours of last year’s ceremony faced “The Voice.”
Viewership for this year’s broadcast notably grew in the second half hour. After averaging a 0.8 rating and 3.18 million total viewers at 8PM, the show improved to a 1.1 and 4.44 million at 9PM.
The growth at 9PM potentially speaks to the limited impact of “Game Of Thrones” — the show did better during the hour that battled Sunday’s highest rated TV show.
While ceremony-to-ceremony growth is always welcome, the numbers are still modest given the high-profile names involved in the broadcast. FOX’s failure to generate big ratings for its foray into the country awards sector — first with the American Country Awards, now with the American Country Countdown Awards — demonstrates the importance of prestige and recognition. The prestige of the CMA Awards and ACM Awards adds value that goes beyond the lineup of performers.