The Oscars Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, marking the most recent major change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, stating that it signed a extended contract awarding YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the show will be available in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
It's another substantial restructuring in Hollywood, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this alliance will permit us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," stated Academy leadership in a announcement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the ceremony have dropped, although there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from smartphones and computers.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "one of our essential cultural institutions" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a new generation of artistic expression and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' storied legacy".
ABC, which has aired the ceremony since the mid-1970s, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
This decision comes as major studios confront complex corporate battles. Both options were seen as problematic for an industry that has witnessed significant downsizing over the last few years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of digital platforms will carry on expanding.