The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the most recent substantial change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on this week, stating that it signed a long-term agreement giving the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has aired for five decades on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the event will be available in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's a further substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this collaboration will enable us to increase availability to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the movie industry," stated organization heads in a statement.
Throughout a long period, audience numbers of the ceremony have fallen, though there was a small rise in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers tuning in from smartphones and laptops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "one of our vital cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied history".
ABC, which has televised the awards since 1976, commented that it was excited "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
The move coincides with large entertainment companies face intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were considered problematic for an sector that has seen significant downsizing over the past several years.
In common with big production houses, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
YouTube winning rights to the Oscars clearly signals that dependence on online services will continue to grow.
