The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube from 2029, marking a major shift away from traditional broadcast television.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday that it had signed a multi-year agreement granting YouTube exclusive global streaming rights to the Oscars through 2033.
Under the deal, the ceremony will be broadcast live and free on YouTube, ending more than five decades of television coverage on ABC.
The academy said ABC will continue to air the awards ceremony through 2028, with that year marking the 100th Oscars.
The transition to YouTube will take effect in 2029, making the platform the new home of the Oscars, including red carpet coverage, the governors awards, and the nominations announcement.
In a joint statement, Bill Kramer, the academy’s chief executive officer, and its president Lynette Howell Taylor said the partnership reflects the organisation’s global outlook and evolving audience habits.
“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” they said.
“The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible.”
ABC, owned by The Walt Disney Company, has broadcast the Oscars for most of the show’s history.
NBC first televised the ceremony in 1953, before ABC acquired the rights in 1961. Aside from a brief period between 1971 and 1975, the awards have remained on ABC since 1976.
ABC, in a statement, described its long-running relationship with the Oscars as a point of pride, noting that it looked forward to airing the next three ceremonies, including the centennial celebration in 2028.
The decision followed years of declining television ratings for the Oscars, despite a modest rebound in 2025, when the ceremony drew over 19 million viewers.
The academy noted that a growing share of viewers watched on mobile devices and computers, particularly younger audiences, a trend that appeared to influence the move to a digital-first platform.
Neal Mohan, YouTube chief executive officer, described the Oscars as “one of our essential cultural institutions”.
Mohan noted that the partnership would “inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy”.
Copyright 2025 TheCable. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from TheCable.
Follow us on twitter @Thecablestyle