The Academy Awards Will Leave Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, representing the most recent major change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on this week, confirming that it entered into a multi-year deal awarding YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has aired for a half a century on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
This is one more substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is dealing with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to severe slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will permit us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a statement.
For many years, audience numbers of the awards show have declined, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our fundamental cultural touchstones" and added that working with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of creativity and movie fans while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will retain rights for.
The move comes as major studios deal with challenging merger discussions. Both options were considered concerning for an industry that has experienced significant downsizing over the recent period.
In common with major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has chosen streaming services instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of online services will persist expanding.
