The 83rd Golden Globe Awards drew an estimated 8.7 million viewers across the United States, according to Nielsen, marking a 6 percent decline from the 9.3 million viewers who watched the ceremony in 2025.
The awards show aired live on CBS on Jan. 11 and was hosted for the second consecutive year by comedian Nikki Glaser. This year’s audience also fell below CBS’s previous two Golden Globes broadcasts. The network’s first year airing the show in 2024 attracted about 9.4 million viewers.
The Golden Globes faced stiff competition on Sunday night from an NFL playoff game broadcast on NBC, which drew approximately 28.9 million viewers, Nielsen data showed.
Despite the drop in traditional television viewership, CBS and event organizers pointed to strong digital engagement. The 2026 ceremony was promoted as the “most social ever,” generating about 42 million interactions across social media platforms, a 5 percent increase from the previous year. Organizers also reported that Glaser’s opening monologue was viewed more than 14 million times online within the first 36 hours after the broadcast.
The ceremony honored achievements in film and television from the past year. “One Battle After Another” won best motion picture in the musical or comedy category, while “Hamnet” secured several major film awards, including best motion picture—drama, and acting honors. On the television side, “The Pitt” was named best drama series, and “The Studio” won best television series in the musical or comedy category.
Other notable winners included “Adolescence,” which earned the award for best limited series. Brazilian-native Wagner Moura was named best actor in a drama for "The Secret Agent," and Rose Byrne won best actress in a comedy or musical for "If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You."
The ceremony also introduced its new podcast awards category, recognizing achievements in audio storytelling. The award for best podcast went to “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” topping nominees that included “Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard,” “Call Her Daddy,” “SmartLess,” and “NPR’s Up First.”
The Golden Globes have experienced a steady decline in television viewership over the past decade. During the late 2010s, the ceremony regularly attracted close to 20 million viewers. Industry analysts have attributed the decline to changing viewing habits, increased competition from live sports, and the growing dominance of streaming platforms.
The awards show moved from NBC to CBS in 2024 following controversy surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which previously ran the event. After facing criticism over ethics and diversity issues, the organization sold the Golden Globes to a joint venture between Penske Media’s Dick Clark Productions and Eldridge Industries.