The Academy Awards Will Leave Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Starting in 2029.

The Oscars ceremony will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, marking the newest significant transformation in the film industry.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on this week, indicating that it signed a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars until 2033.

The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been broadcast for a half a century on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be accessible live and for free on the digital platform.

It's another significant upheaval in the entertainment world, which is navigating corporate acquisitions and consolidations, in addition to steep slashes to movie budgets.

"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this alliance will enable us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be positive for our Academy members and the movie industry," remarked the Academy's executives in a release.

For many years, viewership of the televised event have fallen, although there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers streaming from cell phones and laptops.

In a separate statement, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "among our essential cultural institutions" and added that working with the Academy would "motivate a fresh wave of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' celebrated legacy".

The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since 1976, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will retain rights for.

This shift coincides with large entertainment companies face intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were considered unfavourable for an business that has seen significant downsizing over the past several years.

Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have faced issues as the audience has chosen digital platforms instead.

YouTube obtaining the license to the Academy Awards clearly signals that the dominance of digital platforms will carry on expanding.