Some media outlets received the broadcast positively . '' St. Louis Post-Dispatch '' television critic Gail Pennington praised Stewart 's performance as host writing that he " did the Oscars proud Sunday night , turning in a four-star hosting performance that unfortunately made the rest of the show seem sluggish by comparison . " Film critic Roger Ebert said that Stewart was " on target , topical and funny , " and added , " He was as relaxed , amusing and at home as Johnny Carson . " Columnist Ray Richmond of '' The Hollywood Reporter '' commented , " He seemed at times nervous and self-conscious , but on the whole , Stewart delivered with just the right balance of reverence and smugness . " Others media publications were more critical of the show . Television critic Rob Owen of the '' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette '' wrote that Stewart was more " amusing than funny " . He added , " Many of his jokes fell flat with the stars in the Kodak Theatre , and his tendency to bow down before celebrities quickly grew tiresome . " Tom Shales from '' The Washington Post '' commented , " It 's hard to believe that professional entertainers could have put together a show less entertaining than this year 's Oscars , hosted with a smug humorlessness by comic Jon Stewart , a sad and pale shadow of great hosts gone by . " Moreover , he derided the " piles and piles and miles and miles of clips from films present and past " writing that it " squandered the visual luster " of the ceremony . Associated Press television critic Frazier Moore remarked , " Stewart , usually a very funny guy , displayed a lack of beginner 's luck as first-time host ... His usually impeccable blend of puckishness and self-effacement fell flat in the service of Oscar . " He also criticized the decision to play music over the winner 's acceptance speeches calling it " distracting and obnoxious . " The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 38.94 million people over its length , which was an 8 % decrease from the previous year 's ceremony . Additionally , the show earned lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 23.0 % of households watching over a 35 share . Furthermore , it garnered a lower 1849 demo rating with a 13.9 rating among viewers in that demographic
previous year 's ceremony
77th Academy Awards
78th Academy Awards