The Academy Awards Are Exiting ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin airing only on the global video platform in 2029, signaling the most recent major change in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on this week, confirming that it finalized a long-term agreement giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The awards show, which is planned 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 one more significant shakeup in Hollywood, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, in addition to severe production cuts.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd possible - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the cinematic world," stated Academy leadership in a release.
Throughout a long period, ratings of the ceremony have fallen, even if there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from smartphones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our vital cultural touchstones" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of artistic expression and movie fans while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.
This decision follows film industry giants deal with challenging merger discussions. Both options were considered problematic for an industry that has witnessed severe reductions over the recent period.
Like major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the viewers has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that reliance on online services will continue expanding.
