The Academy Awards to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Beginning in 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start broadcasting solely on YouTube in 2029, marking the most recent substantial change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on this week, confirming that it signed a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for five decades on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
It's another significant restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, coupled with severe reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this alliance will allow us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible - which will be beneficial for our membership and the movie industry," stated the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the awards show have declined, though there was a small rise in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "one of our vital pillars of culture" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since the mid-1970s, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
The move coincides with large entertainment companies confront complex corporate battles. These potential deals were seen as problematic for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.
Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the viewers has increasingly opted for on-demand video as an alternative.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of digital platforms will persist increasing.
