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Even Amy Poehler and Tina Fey can’t stave off award shows’ ratings free fall. According to Nielsen’s early numbers (per TVLine), ratings for the 2021 Golden Globes fell to new lows, with just 5.4 million viewers tuning in to the primarily-virtual broadcast on NBC. The 2021 Golden Globes ratings showed a decline of more than 60% from last year, which drew an average of 18.3 million viewers across the three-hour show.

Nielsen’s early numbers do not include those watching live in the Pacific time zone or out-of-home viewing, both of which will be included in the final viewership figures released Tuesday morning. Still, it’s unlikely that these groups will make up the 15 million viewers lost between the 2020 and 2021 Golden Globes broadcasts.

The decline in Golden Globes viewership comes as no surprise given the lackluster year in film. While television releases remained largely unaffected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — the big winner of the night, The Crown, finished filming just days before productions were shut down across the globe — most studios opted to push their tentpole films to next year, in hopes of attracting a theatrical audience. As a result, the films competing at the 2021 Golden Globes were primarily smaller indie productions, such as Best Picture – Drama winner Nomadland, or streaming films like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the Best Picture – Comedy winner.

When combined with the realities of life under COVID-19, it was all but certain that ratings for the 2021 Golden Globes would drop. This year’s broadcast drew a paltry 1.2 rating in the prized adults 18-49 demographic, down considerably from last year’s 4.7 rating. While not terrible in the grand scheme of things — the NBC telecast was the most-watched primetime entertainment program since The Big Bang Theory series finale in May 2019, per Entertainment Weekly — the 2020 Golden Globes ratings served as an eight-year low for the event; that unfortunate milestone has been surpassed by the 2021 broadcast, which is on track to deliver the smallest Globes audience since 1995, the award show’s final year on TBS.

It’s possible that the dismal Golden Globes ratings were also affected by the controversy surrounding the event itself. Just one week before the show, the Los Angeles Times published a detailed report about the Globes’ voting body, the Hollywood Foreign Press, and reported that not one of the group’s 87 members is Black. The report caused an uproar among industry types and even spawned a hashtag, #TimesUpGlobes, that was used by filmmakers including Ava DuVernay throughout the show.

During the Globes broadcast, three HFPA members addressed the controversy and made a half-hearted attempt at an apology. “As we celebrate the work of artists from around the globe, we recognize we have our own work to do,” said German member Helen Hoehne. “Just like in film and television, Black representation is vital. We must have Black journalists in our organization.”

“We must also ensure everyone, from all representative communities, gets a seat at our table, and we’re going to make that happen,” added past president Meher Tatina. “That means creating an environment where diverse membership is the norm, not the exception. Thank you, and we look forward to a more inclusive future,” concluded Ali Sar of Turkey.

The HFPA’s statement was promptly criticized by viewers, who felt it was an “embarrassing” attempt to make up for past mistakes. As many pointed out, these promises mean nothing unless the HFPA actually acts on them and adds POC members to its ranks to prevent the Emily in Paris-es from earning nominations over the I May Destroy You-s.