The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin broadcasting solely on the global video platform in 2029, signaling the latest major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, stating that it entered into a multi-year deal giving the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be available as a free live stream on YouTube.
This is a further major shakeup in the entertainment world, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, along with severe slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," remarked organization heads in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, viewership of the awards show have declined, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences streaming from mobile devices and desktops.
In a related comment, YouTube's CEO referred to the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and said that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of artistic expression and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' storied heritage".
ABC, which has televised the awards since the mid-1970s, commented that it was excited "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
This decision comes as large entertainment companies deal with intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were considered concerning for an industry that has witnessed significant downsizing over the last few years.
Like major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the viewers has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube obtaining broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that the dominance of streaming sites will carry on increasing.
