The Academy Awards to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin broadcasting solely on the global video platform in 2029, representing the most recent significant shift in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, stating that it entered into a long-term agreement granting YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for 50 years on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the event will be available live and for free on YouTube.
This is a further substantial restructuring in Hollywood, which is navigating company buyouts and fusions, along with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this alliance will enable us to increase availability to the mission of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," said organization heads in a announcement.
For many years, viewership of the televised event have declined, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers watching from smartphones and desktops.
In a related comment, YouTube's CEO referred to the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural institutions" and added that working with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated history".
ABC, which has streamed the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
The move coincides with large entertainment companies face intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were considered unfavourable for an sector that has witnessed drastic cuts over the recent period.
In common with big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has chosen on-demand video instead.
YouTube winning the license to the Oscars further suggests that reliance on online services will persist expanding.
