The Academy Awards to Depart ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, representing the most recent major transformation in Hollywood.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, confirming that it entered into a multi-year deal giving the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has aired for 50 years on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the show will be available as a free live stream on the digital platform.
It's a further substantial upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this collaboration will permit us to increase availability to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the cinematic world," stated Academy leadership in a announcement.
For many years, viewership of the awards show have fallen, even if there was a small rise in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences streaming from smartphones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our fundamental cultural institutions" and noted that working with the Academy would "motivate a fresh wave of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".
ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.
The move follows film industry giants confront intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an business that has witnessed significant downsizing over the last few years.
Like big production houses, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has shifted towards digital platforms instead.
The platform securing the license to the Oscars further suggests that dependence on online services will persist increasing.
