Oscars take big ratings hit

Early estimates point to a 20 percent drop from last year (complete Nielsen numbers will be out later today). That could make it the lowest-rated Oscar show ever, besting 2003's snoozefest when viewership was just 33 million. L.A. had a 25.6 rating, last night down from 32 last year, and NY had a 30.6 rating, down from 35.3. Nationally, the show generated a 21.9 rating. The low numbers are not a huge surprise, given those grim Best Picture nominees and the noticeable lack of starpower (the yesteryear clips throughout the telecast were an inadvertent reminder).