The Academy Awards to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, representing the newest substantial transformation in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, indicating that it entered into a extended contract awarding the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's another substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this alliance will allow us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be positive for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a statement.
For many years, ratings of the ceremony have declined, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from mobile devices and computers.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "among our fundamental pillars of culture" and added that partnering with the Academy would "motivate a fresh wave of innovation and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' storied history".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
This decision comes as large entertainment companies face complex corporate battles. Such proposals were considered problematic for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.
Similar to big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has chosen digital platforms instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that dependence on streaming sites will carry on to grow.
