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The Academy Awards will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in 2029, representing the newest significant change in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, confirming that it finalized a extended contract awarding the streaming service the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars through 2033.

The Oscars, which is planned for 15 March, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be viewable live and for free on YouTube.

This is another major shakeup in the entertainment world, which is grappling with corporate acquisitions and consolidations, coupled with drastic reductions in filming.

"The Academy is an global institution, and this partnership will permit us to expand access to the activities of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience imaginable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the movie industry," said Academy leadership in a statement.

For many years, viewership of the ceremony have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a considerable amount of younger viewers watching from mobile devices and desktops.

In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural touchstones" and noted that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a new generation of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".

ABC, which has aired the awards since 1976, said that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.

The move coincides with major studios face complex corporate battles. Such proposals were seen as problematic for an business that has seen drastic cuts over the past several years.

Like big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the public has chosen digital platforms instead.

The platform securing the license to the Oscars clearly signals that dependence on online services will persist expanding.