MTV Movie & TV Awards Drop in Ratings
By Movieguide® Contributor
The MTV Movie and TV awards aired Monday, June 16, 2019, with ratings down from 2018 with a drop of 46% even though the show aired across 10 Viacom owned channels. Perhaps you’re in the camp of “not surprised,” but the award show is a big draw for major Hollywood stars, so what’s the cause of the sizable ratings drop?
The awards show is targeted to a younger audience. Still, there were many actors who were honored despite their age. Sandra Bullock won the ‘Best Frightened Performance.’ in the movie BIRDBOX. Upon its release, one might recall that the movie prompted a dangerous “Bird Box Challenge” which resulted in Netflix releasing a statement telling people not to attempt the challenge. Movies such as TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, and AVENGERS: ENDGAME were honored with multiple awards.
TV shows such as the satanic CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA and BIG MOUTH were all also mentioned, but Movieguide® previously warned readers about both series. CHILLING ADVENTURES is startlingly satanic and takes the Archie comic based on the character down a much darker road. BIG MOUTH also dedicated an entire episode to Planned Parenthood which attempted to use lewd humor to mask abortion and other ideas.
Variety reports that despite MTV’s requests to ban vaping from the star-filled audience, people did so anyways on air, regardless of the request. Christian actor and funnyman Zachary Levi (SHAZAM!, TANGLED) couldn’t help up the ratings either as the show’s host.
This brings us back to the previous question.
The drop-in viewers certainly suggest that the content that was nominated and in some cases awarded at the awards show isn’t actually as beloved as they claim to be. Additionally, with awards such as ‘Best shirtless scene’ or the ‘Best Scared-As-S*** scene,’ the MTV Movie and TV awards have become trivial instead of substantive and important, effectively turning away audiences away.
In 2015, MTV faced a similar drop in ratings when movies such as GONE GIRL, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, LUCY, ANNABELLE, and THE BOY NEXT DOOR were honored. There’s an obvious and direct correlation between integrity-based content, which is uplifting and entertaining, versus exploitive based content which promotes sexual promiscuity, drug use, violence, or witchcraft.
Other award shows, such as the Oscars® and Golden Globes that are self-celebrating have also received a dramatic decrease in viewership. In contrast, The Movieguide® Awards, which aired on The Hallmark Channel, cares less about the glitz and glamour of “Hollywood art” and “popularity” and instead celebrates the positive representation of faith and values in many movies, like last year’s Epiphany Prize winner I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. The response has been an increase of viewers tuning into the Movieguide® Awards showing that people truly are hungry for inspiring, wholesome content.
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
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