The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in the year 2029, marking the latest significant transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, confirming that it entered into a extended contract granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is another significant upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, in addition to severe production cuts.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be positive for our film artists and the film community," said the Academy's executives in a statement.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the televised event have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from mobile devices and computers.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "among our vital cultural touchstones" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since the mid-1970s, commented that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
This decision comes as major studios face intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were seen as unfavourable for an business that has experienced significant downsizing over the last few years.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the public has increasingly opted for on-demand video instead.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Academy Awards clearly signals that the dominance of streaming sites will carry on increasing.
