The Oscars will make a historic media shift in 2029 by moving to YouTube after 50 years on ABC
The Oscars are formally turning off broadcast television and turning on YouTube, marking a significant change in the way the world will watch Hollywood’s greatest event.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that the Academy Awards are getting ready for a historic transition to YouTube starting in 2029, one of the most significant distribution shifts in the show’s lengthy history, following more than 50 years on ABC. While ABC will continue to broadcast the Oscars until its 100th show in 2028, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Wednesday that YouTube will be the sole worldwide home of the awards through 2033.
More than two billion people worldwide will be able to watch the 101st Oscars live and for free on YouTube, with YouTube TV subscribers in the US having extra access. Red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes video, nominations announcements, the Governors Awards, the Nominees Luncheon, Student Academy Awards, Scientific and Technical Awards, and original programming are all brought straight to the platform as part of the arrangement, which goes far beyond the main ceremony.
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” said Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, who framed the decision as a cultural progression. In keeping with the Oscars’ legendary heritage, collaborating with the Academy to share this celebration of art and entertainment with audiences worldwide will encourage a new generation of artists and moviegoers.
In a statement, ABC, which has been airing the program since 1976, recognized the change: “ABC has been the proud home to The Oscars for more than half a century.” We wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ongoing success and look forward to the upcoming three telecasts, which will include the show’s centennial anniversary in 2028.
Access and worldwide reach were highlighted by the Academy as being crucial factors in the choice. The collaboration would “expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible” while respecting the Oscars’ tradition, according to a joint statement from CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor.
The Oscars shifting to YouTube highlights how prestige television is being reinvented in real time as streaming platforms shape global occasions and linear TV continues to lose ground.
