The Academy Awards Will Leave Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Starting in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will commence broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, marking the most recent substantial shift in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that it entered into a long-term agreement giving YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, scheduled for March 15th, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the ceremony will be available as a free live stream on YouTube.
It's another major upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with steep reductions in filming.
"The Academy is an global institution, and this collaboration will allow us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd possible - which will be beneficial for our membership and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a announcement.
For many years, ratings of the televised event have declined, although there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of youthful audiences tuning in from mobile devices and desktops.
In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive described the Oscars "among our essential pillars of culture" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a new generation of artistic expression and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' storied heritage".
ABC, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to hosting the event three more times" it will retain rights for.
This decision comes as film industry giants face complex corporate battles. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an business that has witnessed significant downsizing over the recent period.
In common with big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has increasingly opted for digital platforms instead.
The platform securing rights to the Oscars clearly signals that reliance on online services will carry on to grow.
