The Oscars to Depart Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.
The Oscars ceremony are set to start airing only on YouTube in the year 2029, representing the most recent substantial transformation in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, indicating that it finalized a extended contract granting YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, scheduled for 15 March, has been televised for five decades on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the event will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.
This is one more substantial restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to drastic production cuts.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will permit us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the movie industry," remarked Academy leadership in a statement.
For many years, audience numbers of the ceremony have fallen, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of youthful audiences tuning in from mobile devices and laptops.
In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our vital cultural touchstones" and added that working with the Academy would "motivate a new generation of creativity and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious history".
ABC, 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 face intricate takeover attempts. Both options were viewed as problematic for an business that has experienced significant downsizing over the recent period.
Similar to big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the public has chosen streaming services instead.
YouTube obtaining the license to the Oscars further suggests that dependence on digital platforms will continue increasing.
