Beginning in 2029, the Academy Awards will move to a new platform, with the Oscars set to be streamed live and free on YouTube for a global audience of more than two billion people.
In the United States, the ceremony will also be available to YouTube TV subscribers. This shift brings an end to the Oscars’ long-standing broadcast partnership with ABC, which has aired the ceremony continuously since 1976. YouTube, owned by Google, will take over starting with the 101st Academy Awards, and the agreement is scheduled to run through 2033. In addition to the main ceremony, YouTube will offer extensive coverage, including red carpet events, behind-the-scenes access, coverage of the Governors Ball, and other exclusive content for viewers around the world.
According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the broadcast will feature closed captions and multiple audio language options. Delivering accurate captions and translations during a live, partially unscripted event presents technical challenges, but YouTube has several years to prepare before the first streamed ceremony.
The Academy also plans to expand its presence on the platform beyond Oscars night. The official Oscars YouTube channel will host other major Academy events such as the Governors Awards, the nominations announcement, the Nominees Luncheon, along with interviews, podcasts, and educational programming focused on film.
Viewership for the Oscars has steadily declined over the years. NBC News notes that the ceremony reached a peak audience of 55 million viewers in 1998, when Titanic dominated the awards, compared to roughly 20 million viewers for the most recent broadcast. Despite this trend, the Academy believes the move to YouTube could help revive interest.
In a statement, the Academy said the partnership would capitalize on YouTube’s massive global reach while creating new ways for audiences to engage with the Oscars, celebrate filmmaking, inspire future creators, and gain broader access to the organization’s film archive.
Earlier this year, the Academy also introduced another significant change, announcing that films incorporating generative AI technology will be eligible for Oscar consideration. The Academy clarified that the use of such tools will not automatically improve or diminish a film’s chances of receiving a nomination.
The move reflects a broader shift in the awards-show landscape, as streaming platforms increasingly secure high-profile events. Netflix has signed a multi-year agreement to stream the SAG Awards, now known as the Actor Awards, while both the Grammys and the Golden Globes are available on Paramount+ in addition to their traditional broadcasts on CBS.
