The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence airing only on the global video platform in 2029, marking the newest significant transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on this week, confirming that it entered into a extended contract granting YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's another substantial restructuring in the entertainment world, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, coupled with steep reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will permit us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be positive for our film artists and the movie industry," said the Academy's executives in a release.
Over decades, audience numbers of the televised event have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers tuning in from smartphones and desktops.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO referred to the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a new generation of creativity and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".
ABC, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, said that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
The move coincides with film industry giants confront intricate takeover attempts. Both options were viewed as problematic for an business that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.
Similar to major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the public has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning the license to the Oscars clearly signals that reliance on streaming sites will carry on to grow.
