The Oscars Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on the global video platform in the year 2029, representing the latest substantial change in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, stating that it finalized a multi-year deal giving YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the event will be available live and for free on the digital platform.
This is one more significant shakeup in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with severe slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this partnership will permit us to expand access to the mission of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible - which will be advantageous for our film artists and the movie industry," stated organization heads in a announcement.
For many years, viewership of the awards show have declined, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers tuning in from smartphones and laptops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive described the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and said that working with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated history".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
The move coincides with film industry giants confront challenging merger discussions. Both options were viewed as problematic for an industry that has experienced severe reductions over the recent period.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that reliance on streaming sites will carry on expanding.