The Oscars Will Leave Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent significant shift in the film industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, confirming that it signed a extended contract granting the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars until 2033.
The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been televised for a half a century on the traditional network. Beginning in 2029, the event will be accessible in real-time without charge on the digital platform.
This is another substantial shakeup in Hollywood, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic slashes to movie budgets.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this alliance will allow us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the film community," remarked Academy leadership in a announcement.
Throughout a long period, viewership of the awards show have fallen, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from mobile devices and laptops.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "one of our vital cultural institutions" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and movie fans while staying true to the Oscars' celebrated history".
The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, said that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.
This decision coincides with film industry giants deal with complex corporate battles. Both options were considered unfavourable for an industry that has experienced drastic cuts over the last few years.
Similar to major studios, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has chosen on-demand video as an alternative.
YouTube obtaining broadcasting rights to the Oscars clearly signals that dependence on streaming sites will carry on expanding.
