The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on YouTube Beginning in the Year 2029.

The Oscars ceremony will begin airing only on the global video platform in 2029, marking the most recent major shift in the film industry.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on Wednesday, indicating that it finalized a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.

The awards show, set for 15 March, has been televised for a half a century on ABC. Commencing in 2029, the show will be accessible in real-time without charge on the digital platform.

This is one more major restructuring in Hollywood, which is grappling with studio sales and mergers, along with steep production cuts.

"The Academy is an worldwide body, and this partnership will enable us to increase availability to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd imaginable - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the movie industry," stated Academy leadership in a release.

Throughout a long period, ratings of the televised event have fallen, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of younger viewers streaming from mobile devices and desktops.

In a related comment, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural touchstones" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a fresh wave of innovation and movie fans while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious history".

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

The move coincides with film industry giants face challenging merger discussions. Both options were considered problematic for an sector that has witnessed severe reductions over the recent period.

In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has shifted towards digital platforms as an alternative.

YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that reliance on digital platforms will persist expanding.