Hollywood’s biggest night is moving to YouTube.
Beginning in 2029, the Oscars will stream live and free worldwide on the video platform under a new multiyear agreement between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and YouTube, a major shift for an awards show long synonymous with broadcast television and a clear signal of how entertainment consumption has changed.
The deal, announced Wednesday, gives YouTube exclusive global rights to the Academy Awards starting with the 101st ceremony in 2029 and running through 2033 — ending a five-decade partnership with ABC and making the Oscars the most prominent entertainment awards show to abandon a major broadcast network in favor of a digital-first platform. The show, including red carpet coverage and behind-the-scenes access, will stream live on YouTube around the world, with U.S. viewers also able to watch via YouTube TV.
In a joint statement, Academy Chief Executive Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said the partnership reflects the organization’s international focus. “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,” they said, calling YouTube “the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming.”
YouTube Chief Executive Neal Mohan described the Oscars as “one of our essential cultural institutions” and said the partnership would help introduce the ceremony to new audiences around the world while “staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
The agreement also makes YouTube the exclusive worldwide home for other Academy programming, including the Governors Awards, Oscar nominations announcements and the Student Academy Awards.
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