The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on the global video platform in the year 2029, signaling the most recent major transformation in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, confirming that it finalized a extended contract awarding YouTube the unique international license to the Oscars through 2033.
The Oscars, set for 15 March, has been broadcast for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be available in real-time without charge on YouTube.
It's a further substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this alliance will permit us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be advantageous for our film artists and the cinematic world," stated the Academy's executives in a release.
For many years, audience numbers of the televised event have dropped, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers tuning in from smartphones and computers.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "one of our vital pillars of culture" and noted that working with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' storied legacy".
ABC, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
This decision coincides with large entertainment companies face complex corporate battles. These potential deals were considered problematic for an industry that has witnessed drastic cuts over the last few years.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen on-demand video instead.
YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that reliance on digital platforms will persist expanding.
