The Oscars to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Beginning in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin airing only on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent major shift in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, stating that it signed a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, set for March 15th, has aired for five decades on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
This is one more significant restructuring in the entertainment world, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, coupled with severe reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will permit us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be positive for our film artists and the cinematic world," remarked the Academy's executives in a release.
Over decades, viewership of the televised event have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences streaming from cell phones and computers.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural touchstones" and added that working with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated history".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since the mid-1970s, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
This decision follows film industry giants confront complex corporate battles. These potential deals were considered problematic for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the past several years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the public has increasingly opted for on-demand video as an alternative.
YouTube obtaining broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that reliance on digital platforms will persist to grow.
