The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that the Oscars ceremony will be moving from traditional television to a YouTube exclusive livestream starting from 2029. This marks a significant shift in the four major award shows (Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and Tonys) as the first to completely abandon traditional television and transition to streaming.
According to the agreement, ABC will continue to broadcast the Oscars until the 100th ceremony in 2028, after which YouTube will acquire the global exclusive streaming rights for 2029-2033, covering the red carpet, nominations, and all related content. The service will be available for free worldwide, supporting multiple language audio tracks and subtitles.
In recent years, the Oscars have seen a decline in viewership, from 40 million in the past decade to 19.7 million in 2025, with a low point of 10.4 million during the pandemic. This move is seen as a strategic decision to adapt to changing viewer habits and reach a broader audience through the popular streaming platform.