The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in 2029, signaling the latest significant transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, indicating that it entered into a multi-year deal granting YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the show will be accessible live and for free on the digital platform.
It's one more substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an international organization, and this collaboration will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the film community," said the Academy's executives in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, viewership of the awards show have dropped, even if there was a small rise in 2025, with a notable portion of Gen Z and millennial watchers watching from smartphones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "one of our essential cultural touchstones" and noted that working with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the awards since the mid-1970s, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
This decision coincides with major studios face challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an sector that has witnessed significant downsizing over the past several years.
Like big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Academy Awards further suggests that dependence on online services will continue increasing.