The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin airing only on the global video platform in the year 2029, marking the newest substantial change in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on Wednesday, confirming that it signed a long-term agreement giving the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for 15 March, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the show will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
It's one more substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with severe reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this partnership will enable us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be advantageous for our film artists and the film community," stated organization heads in a release.
Over decades, viewership of the televised event have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of youthful audiences watching from smartphones and computers.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "one of our vital pillars of culture" and noted that working with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of innovation and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy".
ABC, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will still host.
This shift follows film industry giants confront challenging merger discussions. Both options were viewed as concerning for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the recent period.
In common with big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the audience has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that dependence on digital platforms will carry on to grow.
