LOS ANGELES — A record-low 6.9 million viewers tuned in to Sunday night’s broadcast of the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Fox, a 32 percent drop from last year’s previous low mark of 10.2 million viewers.

The precipitous drop in viewership could cause the Television Academy to rethink how the awards are presented.

The show this year did not have a host, and its producers were hoping to capture some of the same magic that the Academy Awards did this year when its audience grew to nearly 30 million viewers after it went without a host.

Producers for the Emmys tried several other gimmicks, too. They did away with a live orchestra, instead piping in songs as winners made their way to the stage. They also deployed a commentator, the actor and comedian Thomas Lennon, who offered anecdotes about various winners and tried to keep the festivities moving along. A purple carpet was substituted for the traditional red carpet.