The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the newest substantial transformation in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a multi-year deal granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has been televised for 50 years on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the event will be viewable in real-time without charge on YouTube.
This is another significant restructuring in the entertainment world, which is grappling with company buyouts and fusions, coupled with severe production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this alliance will allow us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the film community," said organization heads in a release.
For many years, viewership of the televised event have dropped, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences tuning in from cell phones and computers.
In a related comment, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "one of our vital pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy".
ABC, which has televised the ceremony since the mid-1970s, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
The move comes as film industry giants face challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were considered unfavourable for an sector that has seen significant downsizing over the last few years.
Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen streaming services as an alternative.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Oscars further suggests that dependence on online services will continue increasing.
