LOS ANGELES: The ABC TV network said Monday 34.3 million Americans watched the 2016 Oscars, the lowest ratings in eight years for the glitzy culmination to Hollywood’s annual awards season.

Despite headlines generated by a race row embroiling the 88th Academy Awards, the audience was six percent down on last year’s 36.6 million in the same day “fast nationals” rating.

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton, who had called for viewers to “tune out” after no ethnic minority nominees were announced in the acting categories for the second year running, said the drop was “heartening.”

“This is a significant decline and should send a message to the Academy and to movie studio heads,” Sharpton, who led a small protest in Hollywood on Sunday, said in a statement.