Summary
- The Academy Awards will end their 50-year run on ABC to stream exclusively and free of charge on YouTube starting in 2029, a deal that extends through 2033
- The partnership grants YouTube exclusive global rights to the 101st ceremony and all associated programming, including red carpet coverage, the Governors Awards, and behind-the-scenes content
- By leveraging YouTube’s two billion monthly users, the Academy aims to revitalize the show’s cultural impact and reach an international audience that has increasingly abandoned traditional network television
In a historic pivot that signals the end of the broadcast television era, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that the Oscars will move exclusively to YouTube beginning in 2029. Ending a legendary five-decade partnership with ABC, the deal grants the Google-owned platform exclusive global rights for a multi-year term running through 2033. Most notably, the ceremony will be streamed live and free to over two billion users worldwide, representing the largest expansion of access in the Academy’s century-long history.
The partnership, described by Academy CEO Bill Kramer as a “multifaceted global collaboration,” aims to reverse years of declining linear ratings by meeting audiences where they live: online. Starting with the 101st Academy Awards, YouTube will become the definitive home for “all things Oscar,” hosting not only the main ceremony but also the red carpet, behind-the-scenes exclusives, the Governors Awards, and the nominations announcement. For U.S. viewers, the broadcast will be accessible for free via the standard YouTube app and through YouTube TV.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan highlighted the platform’s role in “inspiring a new generation of film lovers” through innovative engagement features that broadcast TV simply cannot replicate. By removing paywalls and geographic barriers, the Academy is betting on YouTube’s massive reach to solidify the Oscars as a truly global cultural institution. While ABC will still air the 100th-anniversary milestone in 2028, the future of Hollywood’s biggest night belongs to the world’s largest video stage.
