The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, marking the most recent substantial transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on this week, indicating that it finalized a multi-year deal granting YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, set for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the event will be viewable live and for free on YouTube.
This is a further substantial restructuring in the entertainment world, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with steep production cuts.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this alliance will allow us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd imaginable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," said organization heads in a statement.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the televised event have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences tuning in from cell phones and laptops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our fundamental cultural touchstones" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of creativity and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious history".
The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
This shift follows large entertainment companies face complex corporate battles. Both options were considered concerning for an business that has experienced drastic cuts over the last few years.
Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has chosen streaming services as an alternative.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that reliance on digital platforms will continue expanding.
