The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence streaming exclusively on the global video platform in the year 2029, signaling the newest significant transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on this week, indicating that it entered into a long-term agreement giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The awards show, set for March 15th, has been televised for 50 years on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the show will be available live and for free on YouTube.
It's a further major restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with steep slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be advantageous for our film artists and the film community," stated Academy leadership in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the awards show have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from mobile devices and desktops.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO called the Oscars "among our vital cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated history".
The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
This decision comes as large entertainment companies deal with intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were considered unfavourable for an sector that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has shifted towards streaming services instead.
The platform securing rights to the Oscars further suggests that the dominance of digital platforms will carry on expanding.
