The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, signaling the latest major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, indicating that it signed a multi-year deal granting YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's a further substantial restructuring in the entertainment world, which is grappling with company buyouts and fusions, along with severe reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this collaboration will enable us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be positive for our film artists and the film community," said the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, audience numbers of the televised event have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from cell phones and computers.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "a key essential pillars of culture" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of creativity and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".
The broadcast network, which has aired the ceremony since 1976, said that it was excited "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
This shift coincides with major studios confront challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were viewed as problematic for an industry that has experienced drastic cuts over the past several years.
Like major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has shifted towards streaming services instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that dependence on digital platforms will persist to grow.
