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 the global video platform in 2029, representing the latest substantial change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, indicating that it signed a multi-year deal granting YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for March 15th, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the show will be available live and for free on the digital platform.
This is one more significant restructuring in Hollywood, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, along with drastic production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," remarked organization heads in a statement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the awards show have declined, even if there was a minor increase in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from cell phones and desktops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our fundamental pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was excited "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
The move comes as large entertainment companies deal with complex corporate battles. Such proposals were seen as problematic for an business that has seen significant downsizing over the last few years.
Similar to major studios, cable networks have struggled as the public has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
YouTube winning the license to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of digital platforms will continue expanding.
