The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin broadcasting solely on the global video platform in the year 2029, representing the newest significant shift in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on this week, stating that it signed a long-term agreement granting YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, set for 15 March, has aired for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be accessible as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is a further substantial shakeup in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this collaboration will enable us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible - which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community," remarked the Academy's executives in a release.
For many years, ratings of the ceremony have declined, though there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "among our vital pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".
The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, said that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
This shift comes as large entertainment companies deal with complex corporate battles. Such proposals were considered concerning for an industry that has experienced drastic cuts over the last few years.
Similar to major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
The platform securing rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that reliance on digital platforms will continue expanding.
