The Oscars Are Exiting ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony are set to start streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, signaling the latest significant shift in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, stating that it signed a multi-year deal giving the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, set for 15 March, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the event will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
This is another substantial restructuring in the entertainment world, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, along with drastic production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this alliance will enable us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the movie industry," said organization heads in a statement.
Over decades, viewership of the awards show have declined, even if there was a small rise in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences streaming from smartphones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural institutions" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a new generation of artistic expression and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious history".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will still host.
This decision follows film industry giants confront intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as unfavourable for an industry that has witnessed significant downsizing over the past several years.
Similar to big production houses, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has increasingly opted for on-demand video instead.
YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that dependence on online services will carry on expanding.
