The Oscars Will Leave Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start broadcasting solely on the global video platform in 2029, signaling the latest significant shift in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on this week, indicating that it entered into a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, set for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the show will be accessible as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's another major restructuring in Hollywood, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, along with steep slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd possible - which will be positive for our film artists and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a announcement.
For many years, ratings of the awards show have declined, even if there was a minor increase in 2025, with a considerable amount of younger viewers tuning in from smartphones and desktops.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube referred to the Oscars "a key essential cultural institutions" and added that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a new generation of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious history".
The broadcast network, which has aired the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
This shift comes as major studios confront intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as unfavourable for an industry that has experienced drastic cuts over the recent period.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the viewers has chosen digital platforms as an alternative.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Oscars further suggests that the dominance of digital platforms will persist to grow.
