MEDIA LOSER:
The Grammy Awards
Sunday’s Grammy Awards show was the second-worst rated in its history, at just 8.93 million viewers – only slightly better than last year’s figure, which took place while many Americans were still stuck at home due to the pandemic. The 2021 Grammys pulled 8.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Barely beating that barrel bottom this year isn't exactly what we'd call a win. Quite the opposite, obviously. Silk Sonic won Record of the Year and Song of the Year, Jon Batiste won the award for Album of the Year, Olivia Rodrigo won Best New Artist and Best Pop Solo Performance, Kanye West and Jay-Z won Best Rap Song, and there were no violent outbursts, wardrobe malfunctions, or other car crash material. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky delivered a virtual address and called on those in the audience to “tell” Ukraine’s story with music, on social media and “in any way you can.” Nobody slapped anybody, and if there was any expectation that the slap at The Oscars would drive more viewers to watch the next awards show in hopes of equal drama, those expectations were not met. The decline in viewership for awards shows is well-documented, and frequently written about. Streaming services, multiple options, and the changing habits of viewers -- such as catching clips online rather than an entire show -- take their fair share of blame. But the change in the priorities of viewers may be the biggest factor of all. As Hollywood and the media continue to experience declining trust levels and constant backlash from one side or the other in the culture wars, is it really a surprise nobody wants to watch the entertainment industry congratulate each other, criticize the rest of us, and pick sides on political and social issues? Not to this newsletter writer, it isn't. | 
