TL;DR
- The Oscars will move from ABC to YouTube starting in 2029, ending a decades-long broadcast partnership.
- YouTube will hold exclusive global streaming rights through at least 2033, including red-carpet and related programming.
- ABC will continue airing the Oscars through the 100th ceremony in 2028 before the transition.
- The shift reflects declining broadcast audiences and the rise of digital streaming platforms.
What’s Happening With the Oscars’ Broadcast Rights?
The Academy Awards (Oscars) — traditionally one of television’s biggest live events — will leave the ABC broadcast network and stream on YouTube starting with the 101st ceremony in 2029.
ABC, part of The Walt Disney Company, has been the Oscars’ U.S. broadcast home for most of the ceremony’s history since the 1960s. The new partnership with YouTube gives the Google-owned platform exclusive global rights to live-stream the awards show and associated Academy events, such as the Governors Awards and the Oscar nominations announcements, through at least 2033.
Why the Big Shift to YouTube?
Analysts and industry insiders say the move is a response to declining national broadcast ratings and the broader shift of audiences toward online video platforms. While the Oscars still draw millions of viewers — the 2025 ceremony on ABC attracted roughly 19.7 million in the U.S. — that figure is significantly lower than past peaks on television.
YouTube’s massive reach — more than 2 billion logged-in users monthly — offers the Academy a chance to expand its audience worldwide, especially among younger viewers more accustomed to digital streaming than traditional TV.
What Will Change for Viewers?
Beginning with the 2029 Oscars, fans around the world will be able to watch the ceremony live on YouTube’s main platform, free of charge in most regions, with additional access available through YouTube TV in the U.S.
In addition to the red-carpet telecast and main ceremony, the new deal includes behind-the-scenes coverage, nomination announcements, and other Academy-related events — content that wasn’t previously available on one global platform.
The shift also gives the Academy tools to offer multilingual audio tracks and broad accessibility features like closed captioning for a global audience.
What This Means for ABC and Traditional Broadcast
ABC will continue to broadcast the Oscars through the 100th anniversary ceremony in 2028, but will no longer hold the rights after that point.
The move marks a major moment in television history: the Oscars, one of the most high-profile mass-audience events on broadcast TV, will become one of the first long-running awards shows to fully transition to a digital platform rather than network television.
Industry Impact and Future of Awards Shows
This change echoes a larger trend in entertainment, where major live events and awards shows seek broader reach through streaming platforms amid shifting viewing habits. Executives see this as an opportunity to modernize the Oscars for global audiences, though it also raises questions about how traditional broadcast audiences will adapt.
YouTube executives have expressed enthusiasm about bringing one of Hollywood’s most storied cultural institutions to their platform, positioning the Oscars alongside a new generation of digitally native content while preserving its legacy.
