THE 54TH ANNUAL CMA AWARDS - ÒThe 54th Annual CMA AwardsÓ, hosted by Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker aired from NashvilleÕs Music City Center, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (ABC) REBA MCENTIRE, DARIUS RUCKER
Like several other 2020 awards shows, Wednesday’s CMA Awards ceremony suffered big year-over-year ratings losses.
According to preliminary data posted by Showbuzz, Wednesday’s ABC broadcast drew a 1.05 adults 18-49 rating and averaged 6.82 million overall viewers. The numbers sharply trail the 2.0 demo rating and 11.27 million viewer mark posted by last year’s broadcast.
Awards shows, including the recent Billboard Music Awards and Academy of Country Music Awards shows, have been struggling to attract achieve a “must-see event” feel in the unusual climate of 2020.
The CMA Awards seemingly offered some counter to the issue. The ceremon aired during the show’s usual time window (ensuring fresher nominees than the other recent music shows), and it featured most performers and celebrity attendees under one roof. The ratings, however, question the efficacy of those efforts.