The Academy Awards to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Beginning in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in the year 2029, representing the newest significant change in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, indicating that it finalized a extended contract giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
It's another significant upheaval in the entertainment world, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this collaboration will permit us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the film community," said organization heads in a announcement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the awards show have dropped, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences streaming from cell phones and desktops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key essential pillars of culture" and noted that working with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, said that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
The move coincides with major studios deal with intricate takeover attempts. Both options were seen as unfavourable for an business that has experienced severe reductions over the last few years.
In common with big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen streaming services as an alternative.
YouTube winning the license to the Academy Awards clearly signals that reliance on streaming sites will carry on to grow.
