Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are Golden Globes ratings boosters

Tina Fey and and Amy Poehler are returning to host the 2014 and 2015 Golden Globe Awards, and based on the ratings last time, it’s a good move by NBC, which will broadcast the awards show in January.

The two NBC TV sitcom stars -- from the network’s “30 Rock” and “Parks and Recreation,” respectively, were widely praised by critics. And their audience numbers were significantly higher than those that English comedian Ricky Gervais drew hosting the previous three years.

Before the show tapped the less-well-received Gervais for hosting duties, the awards program hadn’t used a host since 1995.

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Fey and Poehler drew almost 20 million viewers, but that was still shy of the show’s record of 24.5 million in 1998, the year of “Titanic.”

Here are the audience numbers for some recent years, according to Nielsen:

2013

Fey and Poehler drew the show’s biggest audience in six years with 19.7 million viewers, up 17% from 2012. It also saw a 28% jump in the advertiser-desired 18-49 age demographic.

2012

Gervais’ last run was down barely from his previous outing, at 16.9 million.

2011

Gervais holds steady with 17 million viewers.

2010

Veiwers expected a controversial performance and they got it. Gervais’ first try drew 16.9 million viewers, way up from the previous, hostless year.

2009

With just 14.9 million viewers, using a series of presenters instead of an actual host, the Globes had their second-smallest audience since 1995.

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ryan.faughnder@latimes.com