The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony are set to start broadcasting solely on YouTube in 2029, signaling the most recent substantial change in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on this week, confirming that it entered into a extended contract awarding YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for 15 March, has been broadcast for 50 years on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the show will be viewable in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's one more significant shakeup in Hollywood, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, in addition to severe production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this alliance will enable us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the film community," said organization heads in a statement.
For many years, viewership of the televised event have declined, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences streaming from smartphones and desktops.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube referred to the Oscars "a key essential cultural touchstones" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy".
ABC, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will retain rights for.
This decision follows large entertainment companies confront intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were considered problematic for an business that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.
Like big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has shifted towards on-demand video instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that the dominance of streaming sites will carry on to grow.
