The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, representing the most recent significant 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 extended contract giving YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
This is a further major upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to steep production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this partnership will permit us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the film community," remarked the Academy's executives in a release.
Over decades, viewership of the awards show have fallen, although there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from mobile devices and laptops.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube referred to the Oscars "one of our fundamental cultural institutions" and said that working with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
ABC, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
This decision comes as film industry giants confront challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were seen as concerning for an industry that has experienced severe reductions over the recent period.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the public has shifted towards digital platforms as an alternative.
YouTube winning rights to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of online services will continue increasing.
