The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled a landmark media rights agreement confirming that the Academy Awards ceremony will transition away from traditional broadcast television and be streamed exclusively on YouTube beginning in 2029. The multi-year deal marks a historic shift in how the Oscars are delivered to global audiences and reflects broader changes in viewing habits across entertainment platforms.
Under the new partnership with Google-owned YouTube, the 101st Academy Awards and subsequent ceremonies through 2033 will be available to stream live at no cost to viewers worldwide, with additional accessibility features such as closed captioning and multiple audio tracks to support diverse audiences.
For more than four decades, the Oscars have been broadcast by the ABC television network, a relationship that will continue through the 100th anniversary ceremony in 2028 before the transition to online streaming. ABC’s long tenure with the awards, which began in 1976, underscores the scale of this shift away from legacy television distribution.
In addition to the main awards show, YouTube’s coverage in the exclusive arrangement will encompass related Academy events, including red carpet moments, the Governors Awards, nominations announcements and other programming tied to the Oscars brand.
Academy leadership and YouTube executives have emphasised that this collaboration is designed to broaden the Oscars’ international reach and engage new generations of film enthusiasts by leveraging YouTube’s expansive global audience, estimated at over two billion users.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but industry observers view the move as a strategic response to evolving viewer behaviour away from traditional television and toward digital streaming platforms.
This development represents a significant milestone in the ongoing evolution of media rights for major live entertainment events, as content creators and distributors adapt to changing consumption patterns in a digital first era.
Click here for more on Lifestyle
