The Oscars Will Leave Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in 2029, representing the newest substantial change in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, indicating that it finalized a multi-year deal awarding YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
This is a further substantial restructuring in the entertainment world, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, along with severe reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked Academy leadership in a statement.
For many years, viewership of the ceremony have declined, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences tuning in from mobile devices and laptops.
In a corresponding announcement, the head of YouTube referred to the Oscars "among our essential cultural institutions" and noted that working with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated history".
The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since 1976, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
This shift follows large entertainment companies face complex corporate battles. These potential deals were seen as concerning for an business that has experienced drastic cuts over the recent period.
Similar to big production houses, cable networks have faced issues as the audience has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
YouTube obtaining rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that dependence on digital platforms will continue increasing.
