The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on this week, indicating that it entered into a multi-year deal giving the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for five decades on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's another significant upheaval in the entertainment world, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with severe slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will permit us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the cinematic world," stated the Academy's executives in a release.
Over decades, audience numbers of the televised event have fallen, though there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from mobile devices and desktops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key essential pillars of culture" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a new generation of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".
ABC, which has streamed the awards since 1976, said that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
The move follows large entertainment companies face challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were viewed as unfavourable for an sector that has witnessed significant downsizing over the last few years.
Like major studios, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the public has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
YouTube obtaining rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that reliance on streaming sites will carry on to grow.
