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The Oscars ceremony will commence airing only on YouTube in 2029, marking the most recent major change in the film industry.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the news on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a long-term agreement granting YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.

The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be available as a free live stream on YouTube.

This is another significant upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, coupled with drastic reductions in filming.

"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this partnership will permit us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be advantageous for our film artists and the film community," stated organization heads in a announcement.

For many years, ratings of the ceremony have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences streaming from smartphones and computers.

In a related comment, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of artistic expression and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' celebrated heritage".

ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since the mid-1970s, stated that it was looking forward "to hosting the event three more times" it will retain rights for.

This shift coincides with major studios deal with complex corporate battles. Such proposals were seen as unfavourable for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the last few years.

Like major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has shifted towards streaming services as an alternative.

YouTube winning the license to the Academy Awards further suggests that the dominance of online services will persist expanding.