The Academy Awards to Depart Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in the year 2029, signaling the most recent major change in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Wednesday, indicating that it finalized a long-term agreement giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for five decades on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be available in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's another significant upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, in addition to drastic production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the movie industry," said organization heads in a statement.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the ceremony have fallen, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from cell phones and computers.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "one of our vital pillars of culture" and added that partnering with the Academy would "motivate a fresh wave of creativity and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".
ABC, which has televised the awards since the mid-1970s, commented that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will still host.
The move comes as major studios deal with complex corporate battles. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the last few years.
In common with major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the public has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of streaming sites will persist expanding.
