The Oscars Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Beginning in 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent substantial shift in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, stating that it finalized a multi-year deal granting the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has been broadcast for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the event will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
It's a further major restructuring in the entertainment world, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, along with steep slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible - which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the cinematic world," said organization heads in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, audience numbers of the awards show have declined, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from cell phones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive described the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural institutions" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious history".
The broadcast network, which has aired the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
This decision comes as film industry giants deal with complex corporate battles. Both options were viewed as concerning for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the last few years.
Like major studios, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has chosen streaming services as an alternative.
YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that the dominance of streaming sites will persist to grow.
