15 May 2026
The Academy Awards Are Exiting ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on this week, indicating that it signed a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, set for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
This is a further substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, along with drastic production cuts.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will permit us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the film community," remarked Academy leadership in a release.
Over decades, ratings of the televised event have fallen, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences watching from cell phones and laptops.
In a related comment, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "one of our fundamental cultural institutions" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and movie fans while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
This shift follows film industry giants confront intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were considered concerning for an sector that has seen significant downsizing over the past several years.
Similar to big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the public has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that dependence on streaming sites will continue to grow.