🔗 Share this article

The Academy Awards will commence airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, marking the newest substantial shift in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, stating that it signed a extended contract giving YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars up to 2033.

The Oscars, which is planned for March 15th, has been broadcast for five decades on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on YouTube.

It's a further substantial upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with severe production cuts.

"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this partnership will allow us to broaden reach to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience attainable - which will be positive for our membership and the film community," stated Academy leadership in a announcement.

Over decades, viewership of the televised event have fallen, even if there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences tuning in from smartphones and laptops.

In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO called the Oscars "among our vital pillars of culture" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "motivate a fresh wave of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".

ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since the mid-1970s, said that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.

The move coincides with major studios face challenging merger discussions. Such proposals were viewed as unfavourable for an business that has seen severe reductions over the past several years.

Like major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has increasingly opted for digital platforms as an alternative.

The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that dependence on digital platforms will carry on expanding.