The Academy Awards Are Exiting ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the newest significant change in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, indicating that it entered into a extended contract giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, set for March 15th, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's another major upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, along with steep production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will enable us to increase availability to the mission of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd imaginable - which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the movie industry," remarked the Academy's executives in a statement.
For many years, ratings of the ceremony have declined, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from cell phones and desktops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive described the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and added that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of innovation and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".
ABC, which has aired the ceremony since the mid-1970s, commented that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
The move coincides with large entertainment companies confront complex corporate battles. Both options were viewed as unfavourable for an industry that has seen drastic cuts over the last few years.
Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the audience has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that reliance on online services will persist to grow.
