US TV audience for Oscars falls
The US television audience for the 78th Academy Awards was down by 8% compared with last year.
The ceremony, which saw 'Crash' shock the favourite 'Brokeback Mountain' by taking best film, was watched by 38.8m people, the third lowest audience in 20 years.
The three-and-a-half hour ceremony from Los Angeles was hosted by Jon Stewart, presenter of the satirical 'Daily Show'.
According to the Nielsen ratings, the 2003 show got the lowest audience, with 33m tuning in.
Pundits had predicted that interest could fall this year due to the highbrow nature of the five movies nominated for best film - 'Brokeback Mountain', 'Capote', 'Crash', 'Munich' and 'Good Night, and Good Luck'.
Also the best actor winner Philip Seymour Hoffman is not a household name.
Meanwhile, distributor Pathe will re-release 'Crash' in 70 cinemas in Ireland this week, seven months after it was first released, following its Oscar success.
