The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, representing the newest substantial change in the film industry.
The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, indicating that it finalized a extended contract granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.
The awards show, set for March 15th, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the event will be available live and for free on YouTube.
This is another significant upheaval in Hollywood, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with severe slashes to movie budgets.
"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this partnership will permit us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd possible - which will be positive for our Academy members and the cinematic world," stated organization heads in a release.
Over decades, viewership of the ceremony have fallen, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a considerable amount of younger viewers streaming from cell phones and laptops.
In a related comment, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "a key essential cultural institutions" and said that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and film lovers while adhering to the Oscars' storied history".
The broadcast network, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, said that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will still host.
The move comes as film industry giants confront complex corporate battles. These potential deals were seen as concerning for an business that has witnessed drastic cuts over the past several years.
Like big production houses, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has increasingly opted for on-demand video instead.
The platform securing the license to the Oscars further suggests that the dominance of streaming sites will persist expanding.