Key Takeaways:
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a major change for the Oscars, with the awards ceremony set to stream on YouTube starting in 2029.
- The partnership with YouTube will allow the Academy to expand its global reach and provide access to a wider audience.
- The Oscars will be available to stream for free on YouTube, with audio tracks in multiple languages and closed captioning.
- The deal marks a significant shift away from traditional broadcast television, with YouTube becoming the first platform to exclusively stream one of the major award shows.
- The partnership is expected to inspire a new generation of film lovers and provide a wider platform for the Academy’s year-round programming.
Introduction to the Change
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a major change for the Oscars, with the awards ceremony set to stream on YouTube starting in 2029. This move marks a significant shift away from traditional broadcast television, with YouTube becoming the first platform to exclusively stream one of the major award shows. The partnership between the Academy and YouTube will allow the Oscars to reach a wider global audience, with the ceremony available to stream for free on the platform.
The Partnership with YouTube
The partnership between the Academy and YouTube is a multifaceted global agreement that will see the platform become the home of the Oscars and other Academy programming. The deal will run from 2029 to 2033, with YouTube retaining global rights to stream the Oscars, as well as other events such as the Governors Awards and the Oscar nominations announcement. According to academy chief executive Bill Kramer and academy president Lynette Howell Taylor, the partnership will allow the Academy to expand its global reach and provide access to a wider audience. The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will enable it to reach the largest worldwide audience possible, which will be beneficial for its members and the film community.
Impact on Traditional Broadcast Television
The move to YouTube marks a significant shift away from traditional broadcast television, with the Oscars becoming the first of the major award shows to completely jettison broadcast television. The Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC has been the broadcast home to the Oscars for almost its entire history, but the network will no longer air the ceremony after 2028. ABC has stated that it looks forward to the next three telecasts, including the show’s centennial celebration in 2028, and wishes the Academy continued success. The network’s statement acknowledges the significance of the partnership between the Academy and YouTube, and the impact it will have on the future of the Oscars.
Viewership and Ratings
The Oscars have consistently been one of the most-watched non-NFL broadcasts, with the 2025 ceremony attracting 19.7 million viewers on ABC. However, this is significantly lower than the peak ratings of the 1990s, when the ceremony was watched by over 55 million people. The move to YouTube is expected to attract a new and younger audience, with the platform boasting over 2 billion viewers. According to Nielsen, YouTube accounted for 12.9% of all television and streaming content consumed in November, making it the most-watched platform. The partnership with YouTube is expected to help the Academy reach a wider and more diverse audience, and to increase viewership and engagement with the Oscars.
The Future of the Oscars
The partnership between the Academy and YouTube marks an exciting new chapter for the Oscars, with the ceremony set to reach a wider global audience than ever before. The move to streaming will provide new opportunities for the Academy to engage with its audience, and to promote the art of filmmaking to a new generation of film lovers. As Neal Mohan, chief executive of YouTube, stated, the partnership will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers, while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy. The future of the Oscars looks bright, with the partnership between the Academy and YouTube set to take the ceremony to new heights and provide a wider platform for the Academy’s year-round programming.