The Oscars Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the most recent major change in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a long-term agreement giving the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has been broadcast for 50 years on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be available as a free live stream on the digital platform.
This is another substantial restructuring in the entertainment world, which is dealing with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this partnership will permit us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be positive for our Academy members and the cinematic world," said Academy leadership in a release.
For many years, viewership of the televised event have fallen, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key vital cultural touchstones" and added that partnering with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of creativity and film lovers while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since 1976, stated that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will retain rights for.
This shift comes as film industry giants deal with intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were viewed as concerning for an sector that has witnessed significant downsizing over the recent period.
In common with big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has chosen streaming services instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that reliance on online services will carry on expanding.
