The Academy Awards will leave broadcast television and begin streaming exclusively on YouTube starting with the 101st Oscars ceremony in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced.
The landmark deal ends American television network ABC’s decades‑long run as the home of the Oscars — a partnership that began in 1976 — after the network broadcasts the 100th Oscars ceremony in 2028.
Under the new multi‑year agreement, YouTube will hold global streaming rights for the Oscars through 2033.
YouTube’s coverage is expected to include not only the main awards show, but also red‑carpet events, behind‑the‑scenes content, the Governors Awards, and other Academy‑related programming.
The move is aimed at expanding accessibility and engagement, offering free livestreams to a global audience with multilingual audio tracks and closed captioning.
Academy leaders described the partnership as a way to preserve the Oscars’ legacy while reaching new and broader audiences worldwide.
The historic shift reflects wider trends in media consumption, with major live events increasingly transitioning from traditional television to digital platforms.
The 2026 Oscars, hosted again by Conan O’Brien on March 15, will still be broadcast on ABC before the transition to YouTube takes effect in 2029.
