The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the most recent major transformation in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on Wednesday, indicating that it finalized a multi-year deal awarding YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has been televised for 50 years on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is another major shakeup in the entertainment world, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this alliance will enable us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the film community," said organization heads in a release.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the ceremony have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive described the Oscars "among our fundamental pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of artistic expression and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious history".
ABC, which has aired the awards since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will still host.
The move comes as film industry giants face complex corporate battles. Both options were viewed as concerning for an business that has seen significant downsizing over the last few years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning the license to the Academy Awards clearly signals that the dominance of online services will carry on expanding.
