The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in the year 2029, representing the most recent major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, stating that it finalized a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible live and for free on the digital platform.
This is a further substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, in addition to steep reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this collaboration will permit us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the film community," remarked the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the televised event have fallen, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from cell phones and laptops.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "one of our essential cultural touchstones" and said that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a fresh wave of innovation and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".
ABC, which has televised the awards since 1976, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to hosting the event three more times" it will still host.
This decision coincides with large entertainment companies confront intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were seen as unfavourable for an sector that has experienced drastic cuts over the past several years.
In common with big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen digital platforms as an alternative.
YouTube winning the license to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of online services will carry on expanding.
