Key Takeaways
- Award shows like the Golden Globes continue to dominate entertainment headlines and social media, with 10.1 million viewers and 40 million social media impressions.
- The majority of viewers (20%) watch major awards shows live from start to finish, while others (19%) tune in live more casually or follow through highlights and clips.
- The Golden Globes are increasingly viewed as a pop-culture moment, with 42% of respondents enjoying the show more for the fashion and social moments than the awards themselves.
- Awards shows offer a shared experience and unpredictability, with 38% of viewers using a second screen while watching and 24% actively engaging socially.
- The familiar rhythm of awards shows, with categories, envelopes, winners, and reactions, makes them easy to experience across multiple screens and in fragments.
Introduction to Award Season
In a media landscape dominated by on-demand streaming and personalized feeds, live television might seem like a fading idea. However, award shows like the Golden Globes continue to captivate audiences and dominate entertainment headlines. The Golden Globes 2025 telecast drew an estimated 10.1 million viewers across broadcast and streaming platforms, making it one of the most-watched entertainment award nights of the season. The ceremony also generated around 40 million social media impressions on show night, with total engagement up more than 124% year over year. This highlights the significant cultural pull of award shows, which now live as much online as they do on air.
The Evolution of Viewing Habits
A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. respondents by Mecca Bingo into awards-season habits suggests that while viewing styles have changed, engagement has not disappeared. More than 20% of respondents say they still watch major awards shows live from start to finish, treating the night as an event. Another 19% tune in live more casually, while almost 26% primarily follow awards shows through highlights and clips. This shift in viewing habits is reflected in the way people experience award shows, with many using multiple screens and engaging socially during the broadcast. The survey found that 38% of viewers use a second screen while watching awards shows, while 24% actively engage socially and 14% post or comment during the broadcast itself.
The Appeal of Award Shows
The Golden Globes are increasingly viewed as a pop-culture moment, with 42% of respondents saying they enjoy the show more for the fashion and social moments than the awards themselves. The red carpet, celebrity moments, unexpected wins, and speeches that instantly become memes remain central to the appeal of award shows. Rather than being seen purely as a traditional ceremony, the Golden Globes are now experienced as a shared event that people participate in across platforms. The survey found that 29% of respondents describe the Golden Globes as "entertaining", 28% as "glamorous", and 25% as "a social event". These attitudes reinforce the shift toward spectacle, with award shows offering a unique combination of unpredictability, fashion, and celebrity culture.
The Power of Familiarity
Awards shows follow a familiar rhythm, with categories, envelopes, winners, and reactions that audiences instantly understand. This predictability can feel comforting in an age of infinite choice, allowing viewers to dip in and out, half-watch, scroll, or chat, without ever feeling lost. The structure of award shows makes them easy to experience across multiple screens, in fragments, or through highlights, while still feeling part of a single shared event. This helps explain why awards ceremonies adapt so well to modern viewing habits, with viewers able to engage with the show in a way that suits their individual preferences.
The Enduring Appeal of Award Shows
Attention now looks different from what it once did, with award shows shifting from appointment television to a modern ritual. They are something people are more likely to fold into relaxed nights at home rather than sit down to formally watch. Rather than competing with modern habits, awards shows have absorbed them, becoming less about sitting still and more about taking part: watching, posting, reacting, catching up, sharing. In a fragmented media world, the ability to pull people toward the same moment, even in different ways, remains powerful. This is why, year after year, the Golden Globes still find themselves at the center of the entertainment conversation, with a unique ability to capture attention and generate buzz across multiple platforms.
Methodology
The survey was conducted by Mecca Bingo in December 2025, with a nationwide sample of 2,000 U.S. respondents. The survey is nationally representative of age (21+), gender, and state, with 58% of respondents female and 42% male. The average age of the respondents was 36 years. The survey provides valuable insights into award show attitudes and viewing habits, highlighting the enduring appeal of award shows in a rapidly changing media landscape.
