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The Oscars ceremony will commence broadcasting solely on the global video platform in the year 2029, representing the newest substantial shift in the film industry.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on this week, confirming that it signed a multi-year deal awarding YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.

The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the event will be viewable as a free live stream on YouTube.

It's one more significant restructuring in Hollywood, which is navigating studio sales and mergers, coupled with drastic production cuts.

"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked the Academy's executives in a release.

For many years, viewership of the awards show have declined, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers watching from smartphones and computers.

In a related comment, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "among our fundamental pillars of culture" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' storied history".

ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, stated that it was excited "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.

The move follows major studios deal with complex corporate battles. Both options were viewed as concerning for an sector that has experienced significant downsizing over the past several years.

Like big production houses, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has shifted towards streaming services as an alternative.

YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars further suggests that reliance on online services will continue to grow.