The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony are set to start airing only on YouTube in 2029, marking the latest substantial change in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a extended contract granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be available as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's one more major shakeup in Hollywood, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, coupled with severe production cuts.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this collaboration will enable us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be positive for our membership and the film community," remarked Academy leadership in a announcement.
For many years, audience numbers of the televised event have fallen, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences watching from cell phones and desktops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "a key vital cultural touchstones" and added that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of artistic expression and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".
ABC, which has streamed the awards since 1976, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
The move follows large entertainment companies confront complex corporate battles. Such proposals were considered problematic for an sector that has witnessed significant downsizing over the last few years.
Like big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has shifted towards on-demand video as an alternative.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that dependence on digital platforms will continue to grow.
