The Oscars Will Move to YouTube in Historic Digital-First Shift

The Academy Awards prepare for a streaming-only future beginning in 2029

The Academy Awards are preparing for one of the most dramatic transitions in their nearly century-long history, leaving broadcast television for a digital-first future.

Beginning in 2029, YouTube will become the exclusive global home of the Oscars, marking the first time the film industry's most prestigious night will live entirely on a streaming platform. The multi-year agreement, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, runs through 2033 and kicks off with the 101st Oscars ceremony. ABC, which has televised the awards since 1976, will continue to air the show through 2028, including the centennial celebration.

Under the new deal, the Oscars will be available live and free to viewers worldwide on YouTube, alongside YouTube TV in the United States. The agreement extends far beyond the main telecast, encompassing red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes access, the Governors Ball, and year-round Academy programming. That slate includes the Governors Awards, nominations announcements, the Nominees Luncheon, the Student Academy Awards, Scientific and Technical Awards, filmmaker interviews, film education initiatives, and official podcasts. Academy leaders and YouTube executives have emphasized that the partnership is designed to expand global accessibility, with features such as closed captioning and multiple-language audio tracks intended to reach a broader international audience.

For YouTube, the acquisition is a significant leap into the world of marquee live events. While the platform dominates streaming viewership, it has not traditionally been associated with producing large-scale, prestige broadcasts. Still, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan framed the deal as a natural evolution, positioning the Oscars as both a cultural institution and a catalyst for inspiring new generations of storytellers. Industry insiders say YouTube outbid several competitors, including Disney/ABC and NBCUniversal, with a price believed to be well into nine figures—surpassing the high eight-figure offers reportedly on the table from traditional media companies.

The shift is also emblematic of broader changes reshaping Hollywood. Ratings for the Oscars on network television have steadily declined over the past two decades, reflecting the erosion of linear TV audiences and changing viewing habits. Even headline-making moments have struggled to restore past glory; the ceremony that once drew more than 50 million viewers in the "Titanic" era now reaches a fraction of that audience. Against that backdrop, the move to YouTube offers the Academy freedom from rigid broadcast constraints, including fixed runtimes and programming limitations, while potentially giving it greater control over production and creative decisions.

Still, questions linger about how the Oscars will be measured and monetized in a streaming-only environment. Traditional ratings systems do not neatly apply to YouTube, and the platform's famously short attention spans could pose challenges for a lengthy awards ceremony. There is also uncertainty about how the deal will affect existing international licensing agreements and whether YouTube's global reach will offset lost revenue from those arrangements. Yet supporters argue that the gamble mirrors earlier industry-defining moves, such as Fox's bold acquisition of NFL rights in the 1990s—a decision that reshaped sports broadcasting.