The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Beginning in 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start airing only on the global video platform in the year 2029, signaling the newest major transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, stating that it signed a long-term agreement giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been broadcast for 50 years on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the show will be viewable as a free live stream on the digital platform.
It's one more substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with drastic reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this partnership will allow us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be positive for our membership and the film community," said the Academy's executives in a announcement.
For many years, viewership of the ceremony have fallen, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from mobile devices and computers.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and added that partnering with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of innovation and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated history".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will continue to air.
This decision coincides with large entertainment companies confront complex corporate battles. Such proposals were viewed as problematic for an sector that has seen significant downsizing over the past several years.
Similar to big production houses, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the public has increasingly opted for on-demand video as an alternative.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that reliance on digital platforms will continue increasing.
