The Oscars to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence broadcasting solely on YouTube in 2029, signaling the newest substantial shift in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on this week, confirming that it signed a extended contract giving the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has been broadcast for five decades on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable live and for free on YouTube.
This is a further significant upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, along with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this partnership will enable us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd possible - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the movie industry," stated organization heads in a statement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the awards show have fallen, although there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers tuning in from cell phones and computers.
In a related comment, YouTube's CEO referred to the Oscars "one of our fundamental cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' storied legacy".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
This shift coincides with film industry giants confront challenging merger discussions. These potential deals were viewed as unfavourable for an industry that has seen drastic cuts over the last few years.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has increasingly opted for streaming services as an alternative.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that dependence on streaming sites will continue expanding.
