The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Stream on YouTube Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, representing the newest substantial transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, indicating that it entered into a extended contract granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
This is one more major upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, in addition to severe slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be positive for our Academy members and the film community," said Academy leadership in a announcement.
For many years, ratings of the awards show have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers tuning in from cell phones and computers.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "one of our fundamental pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a fresh wave of creativity and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since the mid-1970s, said that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will retain rights for.
The move follows large entertainment companies face complex corporate battles. These potential deals were viewed as problematic for an industry that has experienced severe reductions over the recent period.
Like major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has shifted towards digital platforms as an alternative.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that the dominance of streaming sites will persist to grow.