Emmy Awards 2025 draws 7.4 million viewers, CBS is the highest ratings since 2021

The 77th Emmy Awards, which were broadcast on CBS on Sunday night, attracted 7.4 million viewers, making it the most watched Emmy ceremony since 2021. This figure is an 8% increase of last year’s audience of 6.9 million, when the awards were broadcast on ABC. Emmy viewer reaches a full-time high CBS that last offered the Emmys in 2021-also the year of the previous rating height and it seems that the return to the network played a role in renewed interest. In addition to the television audience, the event gave a significant boost in online viewers by Paramount+, CBS’s streaming platform. According to Nielsen, direct streaming views increased by 76% compared to 2021. The awards night, which honors excellence in television, was also the first major Emmys to be held after the solution of last year’s writers and actors. It added that it contributed to a stronger involvement, as fans were set to celebrate a full year of written television after a period of delays and disruption. CBS’s strong performance with the Emmys also reflects broader industry trends, where traditional broadcasters are increasingly relying on streaming platforms to expand their reach. Paramount+ was an important part of the strategy and appears to produce results. Although complete digital viewers still have to be released, early numbers indicate that the mixing of network broadcasts with strong stream access may be the way forward for awards shows, many of which have struggled to retain the relevance of younger audiences over the past few years. The 2025 Emmys was hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, and both celebrated new and returning series, including ‘The Pitt’, ‘Adolescence’ and ‘The Studio’, all of which were big winners that night.