The Oscars Will Move Its Telecast to YouTube, the Most-Watched Streaming Service, Starting in 2029

After the 100th Oscars air in 2028, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced it will move the live telecast from ABC to YouTube in 2029.

After almost a century of being on broadcast television, with a large chunk of that being on ABC specifically, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are bringing the Oscars telecast into the future, announcing on Wednesday that its signed a multi-year deal with YouTube that will give the social media and video sharing platform the exclusive global rights to the Oscars. The deal will begin in 2029 with the 101st Oscars ceremony and will run through 2033. 

In addition to the actual ceremony telecast, the deal includes red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access, and more, that will be available live and for free to over 2 billion viewers around the world on YouTube, and to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States. The announcement of the deal states that this YouTube partnership will help make the Oscars accessible to the Academy’s growing global audience through features such as closed captioning and audio tracks available in multiple languages.

While the move feels very unconventional, as few awards shows have had YouTube host their telecast before (SAG Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and Gotham Awards come to mind), the Google-owned platform is already considered the most-watched streaming service by Nielsen, with streaming in general now surpassing both broadcast and cable television viewership combined.

The partnership also said to include worldwide access for film fans to other Academy events and programs including the Governors Awards, the Oscars Nominations Announcement, the Oscars Nominees Luncheon, the Student Academy Awards, the Scientific and Technical Awards, Academy member and filmmaker interviews, film education programs, podcasts, and more, exclusively on the Oscars YouTube channel.

In the spirit of accessibility, the partnership also has a component involving the Academy Museum, with the Google Arts & Culture initiative making the commitment to provide digital access to select Academy Museum exhibitions and programs and help to digitize components of the Academy Collection — the largest film-related collection in the world, with more than 52 million items. The stated goal is for it to be a true hub for film fans and will be accessible from around the world.

“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor via statement. “The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible — which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community. This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honoring our legacy. We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale.” 

“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” said Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube, as part of the announcement. “Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”

The Academy’s domestic partnership for the Oscars, which has already included Hulu being the current streaming home of the awards telecast, will continue with Disney ABC through the 100th Oscars in 2028, as will the international partnership for the Oscars with Disney’s Buena Vista International.