ðə mˈoʊst wˈɑːtʃt sˈɛɹᵻməni bˈeɪst ˌɔn nˈiːlsən ɹˈeɪɾɪŋz tə dˈeɪt, haʊˈɛvɚ, wʌzðə fˈoːɹɾi sˈɛkənd ɐkˈædəmi ɐwˈɔːɹdz bˈɛst pˈɪktʃɚ mˈɪdnaɪt kˈaʊbɔɪ wˌɪtʃ dɹˈuː ɐ fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː.fˈoːɹ pɚsˈɛnt hˈaʊshoʊld ɹˈeɪɾɪŋ ˌɔn ˈeɪpɹəl sˈɛvən, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti.
The most watched ceremony based on Nielsen ratings to date, however, was the 42nd Academy Awards (Best Picture Midnight Cowboy) which drew a 43.4% household rating on April 7, 1970.