Globes Get Dismal Ratings

 Supporting claims that the Golden Globes are becoming increasingly irrelevant, this year's awards show failed to resonate with audiences as the telecast delivered its second-worst ratings since 1995. Shown on NBC, the three-hour Globes averaged 14.6 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Though the figure was an improvement over last year's strike-ravaged one-hour press conference which was only watched by 6 million viewers, the numbers still mark a steep decline for the show. In 2007, the Globes averaged 20 million total viewers, down from 26.8 million in 2004. Last year's interruption may have damaged the Globes as did the limited number of audiences who saw nominated films like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Reader," says the Los Angeles Times. Though the Globes ranked first in every half-hour the program aired except for the 8:00-8:30 p.m. block, it was still beaten out by ABC's "Desperate Housewives," which had 13.8 million viewers during the 9 p.m. hour.