The Academy Awards to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Beginning in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin airing only on YouTube in 2029, marking the latest significant transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on this week, indicating that it finalized a multi-year deal giving the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has been televised for five decades on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's another major shakeup in the entertainment world, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, along with steep production cuts.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will allow us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," stated organization heads in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the ceremony have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of youthful audiences streaming from smartphones and desktops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our fundamental cultural touchstones" and said that working with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of artistic expression and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
ABC, which has aired the ceremony since 1976, said that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
This shift coincides with film industry giants deal with challenging merger discussions. Both options were considered unfavourable for an industry that has experienced significant downsizing over the past several years.
In common with major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has chosen digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning the license to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that dependence on online services will persist expanding.
