The Academy Awards to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the latest substantial transformation in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that it signed a extended contract giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has aired for five decades 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 company buyouts and fusions, in addition to drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this collaboration will enable us to expand access to the mission of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the film community," remarked Academy leadership in a statement.
Over decades, ratings of the awards show have dropped, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from cell phones and laptops.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO called the Oscars "among our essential cultural institutions" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of innovation and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' storied heritage".
The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since the mid-1970s, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will still host.
This decision coincides with major studios deal with challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an sector that has experienced drastic cuts over the last few years.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen on-demand video instead.
YouTube obtaining broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that dependence on online services will continue expanding.
