The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in 2029, representing the most recent major change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on this week, indicating that it signed a long-term agreement granting YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the show will be viewable in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's another substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with steep slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this collaboration will permit us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the cinematic world," remarked the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, audience numbers of the awards show have fallen, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from smartphones and computers.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our fundamental pillars of culture" and said that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' storied history".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the ceremony since the mid-1970s, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
The move coincides with large entertainment companies deal with intricate takeover attempts. Both options were viewed as problematic for an sector that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the viewers has shifted towards on-demand video instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that reliance on streaming sites will persist increasing.
