The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin airing only on the global video platform in the year 2029, representing the latest significant shift in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, confirming that it signed a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for a half a century on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's another significant upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the cinematic world," remarked the Academy's executives in a statement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the televised event have fallen, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences tuning in from cell phones and computers.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "a key vital cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of creativity and film lovers while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious history".
ABC, which has televised the awards since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
This shift comes as film industry giants face intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as concerning for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the past several years.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has increasingly opted for digital platforms as an alternative.
YouTube winning the license to the Oscars clearly signals that reliance on online services will carry on expanding.