The Oscars Are Exiting ABC and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, marking the latest major shift in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, set for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is a further major upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to drastic production cuts.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be positive for our membership and the movie industry," said Academy leadership in a statement.
For many years, viewership of the ceremony have declined, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences tuning in from smartphones and computers.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural institutions" and said that partnering with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of creativity and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since the mid-1970s, said that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
This decision coincides with film industry giants face intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were seen as concerning for an sector that has seen severe reductions over the recent period.
Similar to big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the public has increasingly opted for on-demand video instead.
The platform securing rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that the dominance of digital platforms will continue expanding.
