The Oscars Will Leave Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, representing the most recent major shift in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on Wednesday, indicating that it finalized a extended contract granting YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the event will be viewable as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's one more substantial shakeup in Hollywood, which is dealing with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with severe production cuts.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this collaboration will permit us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the film community," stated organization heads in a release.
For many years, viewership of the ceremony have declined, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers streaming from cell phones and computers.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "among our vital cultural touchstones" and added that partnering with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of creativity and movie fans while remaining faithful 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 coincides with large entertainment companies confront complex corporate battles. These potential deals were viewed as unfavourable for an industry that has witnessed severe reductions over the last few years.
In common with major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has increasingly opted for on-demand video instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that reliance on online services will continue increasing.
