Hajra Naz
YouTube has secured exclusive streaming rights to the Oscars beginning in 2029, marking a historic shift for one of television’s longest-running events. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that the Google-owned platform outbid rival bidders, including longtime broadcast partner ABC, which has aired the ceremony almost continuously since 1961.
YouTube’s first broadcast will be the 101st Academy Awards in 2029, with the deal running through 2033. ABC will continue to air the Oscars through the 2028 ceremony. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The move underscores a major turning point for live entertainment, as streaming platforms increasingly replace traditional broadcast television for marquee events. Under the deal, the Oscars will stream live and free on YouTube worldwide, reaching the platform’s more than 2 billion global users, while U.S. viewers will also be able to watch via YouTube TV.
The Academy has been under pressure to rethink distribution as viewership has steadily declined. Oscar ratings peaked at roughly 55 million viewers in 1998 but have hovered closer to 20 million in recent years. Expanding to YouTube gives the ceremony global reach and easier access for younger, digital-first audiences.
“This partnership allows us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement. They added that the deal supports the Academy’s mission as an international organization serving filmmakers and members around the world.
YouTube’s role will extend far beyond the awards night itself. The agreement includes red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes programming, Oscar nominations announcements, filmmaker and Academy member interviews, Governors Ball access, educational content, podcasts, and year-round Academy programming.
Neal Mohan called the Oscars “one of the world’s essential cultural institutions,” saying the partnership would help inspire a new generation of creators while preserving the ceremony’s legacy.
While streamers have previously acquired awards shows—Netflix now streams the SAG Awards — this marks the first time one of the four major awards shows (the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, or Tonys) will move entirely off broadcast television and onto a streaming platform.
