The Academy Awards Will Leave Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in the year 2029, signaling the newest major shift in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a extended contract giving the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for 15 March, has been broadcast for five decades on ABC. Starting in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
This is another significant upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to drastic production cuts.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will permit us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be positive for our Academy members and the cinematic world," said the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, audience numbers of the awards show have dropped, though there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences tuning in from smartphones and computers.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "a key vital cultural institutions" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of artistic expression and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".
The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since 1976, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
The move comes as film industry giants face challenging merger discussions. These potential deals were considered unfavourable for an business that has witnessed significant downsizing over the last few years.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the viewers has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
The platform securing rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that the dominance of online services will carry on expanding.
