The Academy Awards Are Exiting ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent substantial transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, indicating that it entered into a multi-year deal giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, set for March 15th, has been broadcast for 50 years on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the show will be viewable live and for free on YouTube.
It's a further significant upheaval in the entertainment world, which is dealing with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this alliance will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be positive for our Academy members and the movie industry," stated the Academy's executives in a statement.
For many years, audience numbers of the ceremony have declined, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from cell phones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of artistic expression and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
ABC, which has televised the awards since 1976, said that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
This shift coincides with film industry giants face complex corporate battles. Both options were seen as unfavourable for an sector that has experienced severe reductions over the last few years.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the public has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that reliance on streaming sites will continue expanding.
