The Oscars Are Exiting ABC and Stream on YouTube Beginning in 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start airing only on the global video platform in 2029, representing the latest significant transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, stating that it entered into a extended contract awarding the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the show will be viewable as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is one more major restructuring in the entertainment world, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, in addition to steep slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will enable us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be positive for our film artists and the film community," said Academy leadership in a release.
For many years, audience numbers of the awards show have dropped, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences watching from smartphones and laptops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".
The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since 1976, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
This shift coincides with large entertainment companies face intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as concerning for an industry that has witnessed drastic cuts over the past several years.
Like big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the public has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that the dominance of streaming sites will carry on to grow.
