The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, marking the latest substantial shift in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, confirming that it finalized a extended contract granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for 15 March, has been broadcast for a half a century on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the event will be accessible live and for free on the digital platform.
It's another significant restructuring in Hollywood, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to severe reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will permit us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," said organization heads in a release.
For many years, audience numbers of the televised event have declined, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of youthful audiences streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive described the Oscars "among our essential cultural touchstones" and added that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of artistic expression and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated history".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since the mid-1970s, said that it was excited "to hosting the event three more times" it will still host.
This shift coincides with film industry giants confront intricate takeover attempts. Both options were viewed as problematic for an business that has witnessed severe reductions over the past several years.
Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has shifted towards on-demand video instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that the dominance of online services will carry on expanding.
