The Oscars Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin broadcasting solely on YouTube in 2029, representing the newest substantial change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, indicating that it signed a extended contract giving the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the event will be viewable in real-time without charge on YouTube.
This is one more substantial restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with company buyouts and fusions, coupled with severe slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this alliance will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be positive for our film artists and the movie industry," said organization heads in a statement.
Throughout a long period, viewership of the televised event have fallen, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from smartphones and computers.
In a related comment, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "among our vital cultural institutions" and added that working with the Academy would "spark a new generation of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to hosting the event three more times" it will still host.
This shift comes as major studios deal with intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as problematic for an business that has witnessed drastic cuts over the last few years.
Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has shifted towards on-demand video as an alternative.
The platform securing rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that the dominance of streaming sites will continue increasing.
