Oscars 2025: ABC Sticking With Earlier Start Time For Telecast

Why mess with a good thing, right?

The 97th Oscars — hosted by Conan O'Brien — will be held Sunday, March 2, 2025, starting for a second straight year at the earlier hour of 7 pm EST/4 pm PST, ABC and the Academy have announced.

The 2025 ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Viewership of this year's Oscars grew for a third straight year, to deliver the kudocast's largest audience since 2020. Kicking off an hour (OK, 54 minutes) earlier than usual, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel-hosted telecast drew 19.5 million total viewers, up 4% from the 2023 ceremony. The Oscars thus reigned supreme over this winter's other awards shows, outdrawing the Grammys telecast on CBS by 14%, the Golden Globes on CBS by 105%, and the (strikes-delayed) Emmys on Fox by 333%.

Among the key dates preceding next year's Academy Awards, preliminary voting will run Dec. 9-13; the eligibility period ends Dec. 31; nominations voting runs Jan. 8-12; and nominees will be announced Friday, Jan. 17.

Finals voting will then be held Feb. 11-18.