Thanks to a number of key factors -- from the performance of Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin to "Avatar" being up for Best Picture -- the 2010 Oscars managed their best ratings in five years on Sunday night. Roughly 41.3 million people tuned in to watch "The Hurt Locker" win six Academy Awards, which is an increase of over 5 million viewers from 2009.
While it may be hard to pinpoint an exact reason for the increase, and we can at least assume that the presence of some big-budget favorites in the Best Picture category renewed some interest in the ceremony. People tend to enjoy events more when they represent the common American, and the Oscars have a tradition of recognizing small movies that aren't necessarily seen or well-known by many. Even if they did end up celebrating a low-budget film in the end, some popular choices did make the final cut (unlike in 2009, when both "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E" were snubbed Best Picture).
Why do you think the Oscars received better ratings in 2010? Let me know your thoughts with a comment and stay tuned for more news. To view more Oscar photos, check out the slideshows on the right.
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