The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, marking the most recent major transformation in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, indicating that it entered into a extended contract granting YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been televised for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be available as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is another major shakeup in Hollywood, which is navigating company buyouts and fusions, in addition to severe slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will enable us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible - which will be positive for our Academy members and the movie industry," said the Academy's executives in a statement.
For many years, audience numbers of the televised event have fallen, even if there was a small rise in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers streaming from mobile devices and laptops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "one of our fundamental cultural institutions" and said that teaming up with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of artistic expression and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' storied history".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the awards since 1976, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
The move comes as film industry giants confront intricate takeover attempts. Both options were considered unfavourable for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the past several years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the public has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that reliance on streaming sites will continue increasing.
