The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Broadcast Live on YouTube Beginning in 2029.
The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in 2029, marking the latest significant change in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that it entered into a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.
The awards show, which is planned for 15 March, has been televised for five decades on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the event will be available as a free live stream on YouTube.
This is another major restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with steep production cuts.
"The Academy is an international organization, and this collaboration will enable us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd possible - which will be beneficial for our membership and the cinematic world," stated organization heads in a release.
Over decades, audience numbers of the televised event have dropped, although there was a minor increase in 2025, with a considerable amount of youthful audiences watching from mobile devices and laptops.
In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "a key essential cultural institutions" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".
ABC, which has aired the awards since 1976, commented that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.
The move comes as large entertainment companies confront complex corporate battles. Both options were viewed as concerning for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the recent period.
In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has increasingly opted for streaming services instead.
The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that reliance on streaming sites will persist to grow.