In brief
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that the Oscars will transition from ABC to YouTube, marking a significant change in how the prestigious awards are viewed globally. The move reflects ongoing trends in the entertainment industry and aims to increase accessibility for audiences. The ceremony, to be held on March 15, 2029, will be available for free on YouTube, succeeding decades on traditional television.
The Academy Awards will begin airing exclusively on YouTube in 2029, the latest big change in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Wednesday, saying that it signed a multi-year deal that will give YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for March 15, has aired for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be available live and for free on YouTube.
It's the latest shakeup in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with steep production cuts.
The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible — which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement.
Oscar ratings declined in 2025 compared to the year before, along with several other award shows, including the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards.
In a statement, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan called the Oscars one of our essential cultural institutions and said that partnering with the Academy would inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy.
ABC, meanwhile, said it was looking forward to the next three telecasts that it will still host.
