The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Beginning in 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, signaling the newest substantial shift in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, stating that it finalized a extended contract giving YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has been televised for 50 years on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be available as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's a further major upheaval in the entertainment world, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this partnership will permit us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be positive for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the ceremony have fallen, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from mobile devices and computers.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "among our vital pillars of culture" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious history".
ABC, which has aired the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was excited "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
This shift follows large entertainment companies confront challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the last few years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen digital platforms instead.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of digital platforms will continue to grow.
