The Academy Awards to Depart ABC and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony are set to start broadcasting solely on YouTube in 2029, signaling the most recent substantial transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on Wednesday, confirming that it finalized a multi-year deal awarding YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the event will be accessible live and for free on the digital platform.
It's another major shakeup in Hollywood, which is navigating company buyouts and fusions, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd imaginable - which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the movie industry," stated Academy leadership in a announcement.
For many years, ratings of the televised event have declined, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers streaming from cell phones and desktops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key essential cultural touchstones" and noted that working with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of creativity and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' storied history".
ABC, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, commented that it was excited "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
This decision follows major studios confront complex corporate battles. These potential deals were seen as concerning for an business that has witnessed severe reductions over the last few years.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the public has shifted towards streaming services instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that the dominance of streaming sites will persist increasing.
