Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
After decades on traditional TV, the Oscars are making a historic move to YouTube.
The future of the Academy Awards is set for a major shift, marking the end of a long-standing television era.
A new distribution plan will change how audiences around the world watch Hollywood’s biggest night.
While the transition is still several years away, the announcement signals a broader transformation in how major cultural events reach viewers.
A new home
According to a press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Oscars will move exclusively to YouTube starting in 2029.
The agreement covers five ceremonies, running through 2033.
ABC will continue broadcasting the awards from 2026 to 2028 under its existing contract.
The final ABC broadcast will coincide with the 100th Academy Awards, closing a historic chapter for the network and the show.
The Academy said the deal grants YouTube exclusive global rights to air the ceremony during the contract period.
Free global access
Beginning in 2029, the Oscars will be streamed live and free on YouTube worldwide. The partnership also includes year-round Academy programming tied to the awards.
Official content such as the red carpet pre-show, Governors Awards, nominations announcement, Student Academy Awards and other related events will be available on the platform.
The Academy said select exhibitions from the Academy Museum will also be viewable on YouTube.
The move reflects a push to expand access beyond traditional television audiences and reach viewers across multiple regions and devices.
Academy’s vision
Academy leaders framed the agreement as a strategic step toward global engagement.
“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,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Lynette Howell Taylor in a joint statement.
They added, “This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honoring our legacy.
We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale.”
Broadcast history
The Oscars first aired on television in 1953 on NBC. ABC assumed broadcast rights in 1966 for five years, before NBC regained them briefly.
ABC took back control in 1976 and has aired the ceremony ever since. The upcoming shift will end nearly five decades of continuous broadcast on the network.
Sources: THE ACADEMY PARTNERS
