Oscars to stream on YouTube starting in 2029, leaving ABC

The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, the latest big change in Hollywood.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on Wednesday, saying that it signed a multi-year deal that will give YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.

The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has aired for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be available live and for free on YouTube.

It’s another big shakeup in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with steep production cuts.

“The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible – which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement.

Over decades, viewership of the awards show has declined, though there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers tuning in from cell phones and computers.

In a statement, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan called the Oscars “one of our essential cultural institutions” and said that partnering with the Academy would “inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy”.

ABC, which has streamed the awards since 1976, said that it was looking forward “to the next three telecasts” it will still host.

The move comes as Warner Bros Discovery on Wednesday recommended its shareholders reject a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance for a rival bid from streaming giant Netflix.

Both options were seen as unfavourable for an industry that has seen drastic cuts over the past several years. Like major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the public has opted for streaming services instead.

YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that reliance on streaming sites will continue.