The Oscars ceremony will commence broadcasting solely on the global video platform in the year 2029, marking the latest major shift in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, confirming that it entered into a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the show will be viewable as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's another substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with severe slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the movie industry," remarked organization heads in a release.
For many years, viewership of the ceremony have fallen, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of younger viewers streaming from mobile devices and laptops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key essential pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a fresh wave of artistic expression and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied heritage".
ABC, which has streamed the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
This decision coincides with major studios confront complex corporate battles. Both options were considered concerning for an business that has witnessed significant downsizing over the past several years.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the public has shifted towards on-demand video instead.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Academy Awards clearly signals that dependence on online services will persist expanding.
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