The Oscars to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, marking the newest substantial transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on this week, confirming that it finalized a multi-year deal granting YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, set for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the event will be viewable in real-time without charge on YouTube.
This is one more substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating company buyouts and fusions, in addition to steep reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this collaboration will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a statement.
Over decades, viewership of the awards show have fallen, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from smartphones and computers.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO called the Oscars "a key essential cultural touchstones" and said that working with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the awards since the mid-1970s, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
The move follows major studios confront complex corporate battles. These potential deals were viewed as concerning for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the last few years.
In common with major studios, cable networks have struggled as the audience has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that dependence on digital platforms will persist to grow.
