Emmys drop down in TV ratings

LOS ANGELES - The Emmy Awards, American television's biggest night, provided plenty of surprises - from an onstage marriage proposal to trophies for several fan favorites - but viewers simply did not tune in, with the three-hour show plummeting to all-time low ratings.

An average of 10.2 million viewers watched the Emmys Monday night on NBC, down roughly 11 percent from the 11.4 million who watched the gala last year, according to Nielsen figures released on Tuesday.

NBC tried to put a brave face on the data, noting that audiences for this year's Oscars and Grammys were down by wider margins.