The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday that YouTube has won exclusive rights to stream the Oscars starting in 2029. The Google-owned platform beat out other nominees, including ABC, the longtime home of the Oscars, ending the network’s streak of hosting the ceremony since 1976 (with the exception of a brief period in the early 1970s).
YouTube’s first show will be the 101st Oscars in 2029, and its contract runs through 2033. ABC plans to continue broadcasting the awards ceremony until 2028.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The news marks a groundbreaking change for one of television’s marquee events, highlighting the significant changes that are occurring due to YouTube’s growing dominance of the television industry and the rise of streaming live events. The ceremony will be streamed live for free on YouTube to more than 2 billion viewers worldwide and YouTube TV subscribers in the United States. The move comes as the Academy seeks new ways to reach viewers as Oscar ratings have steadily declined from a peak of 55 million viewers in 1998 to nearly 20 million in recent years.
“We are excited to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to make it the home of future Oscar ceremonies and year-round Academy programming,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement. “The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will benefit Academy members and the film community by expanding access to Academy films to as wide an audience as possible around the world.”
As part of the deal, YouTube will broadcast not only the ceremony, but also red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Oscar nomination announcements, interviews with Academy members and filmmakers, access to Governors Ball, film education programs, podcasts and more.
“The Oscars are an important cultural institution for us, celebrating excellence in storytelling and artistry,” YouTube CEO Neil Mohan said in a statement. “Partnering with the Academy to bring this arts and entertainment extravaganza to audiences around the world will stay true to Oscar’s storied legacy while inspiring a new generation of creatives and film lovers.”
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This isn’t the first time a streamer has acquired the rights to an awards show, with Netflix securing the rights to the SAG Awards, but this is the first time one of the four major awards shows (Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, Tonys) has been completely pulled from broadcast television in favor of streaming.
