A seismic shift in how Hollywood’s most celebrated night will be seen worldwide: the Oscars will leave ABC’s broadcast tent and move to YouTube in 2029, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday.
The Big Move
ABC will continue to air the ceremony through 2028, which will also be the 100th Oscars. Starting in 2029, YouTube will hold global streaming rights through 2033, making the platform the home for all Oscars content—including red‑carpet coverage, the Governors Awards, and the nominations announcement.
Bill Kramer and Lynette Howell Taylor said, ”We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” adding, ”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.”
What YouTube Will Offer
YouTube will stream the Oscars for free worldwide and also to YouTube TV subscribers. Features include:
- Audio tracks in many languages
- Closed captioning
- Access to the entire Oscars family of programming
Neal Mohan, chief executive of YouTube, commented, ”The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” and added, ”Partnering with the academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Legacy of ABC
ABC has been the proud home to The Oscars for more than half a century, the network said in a statement. ”We look forward to the next three telecasts, including the show’s centennial celebration in 2028, and wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued success.”
The move marks the first time one of the big four awards—Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and Tonys—has completely jettisoned broadcast television, putting the event into the hands of Google’s YouTube, which boasts some 2 billion viewers.
Numbers and History
- The 2025 Academy Awards drew 19.7 million viewers on ABC, a slight increase from the previous year.
- NBC first televised the Oscars in 1953, but ABC picked up the rights in 1961.
- Between 1971 and 1975, NBC aired the show again.
- YouTube will retain streaming rights through 2033.
Key Takeaways
- The Oscars will stream for free on YouTube worldwide from 2029 through 2033.
- ABC will continue to broadcast the ceremony until the 100th Oscars in 2028.
- The deal is the first of the big four awards to abandon broadcast entirely.
The transition underscores a growing trend of premium award shows moving to digital platforms, while still honoring their legacy through traditional broadcast for the foreseeable future.
