The Academy Awards Will Leave ABC and Broadcast Live on the Video Platform Starting in the Year 2029.

The Academy Awards are set to start streaming exclusively on the global video platform in the year 2029, signaling the latest major transformation in Hollywood.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the decision on this week, confirming that it finalized a multi-year deal awarding the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars until 2033.

The Oscars, set for March 15th, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be accessible live and for free on YouTube.

It's a further major upheaval in the entertainment world, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, coupled with drastic production cuts.

"The Academy is an global institution, and this alliance will enable us to broaden reach to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership possible - which will be beneficial for our film artists and the movie industry," remarked Academy leadership in a announcement.

Throughout a long period, viewership of the ceremony have fallen, even if there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from mobile devices and computers.

In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "a key vital cultural institutions" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a younger cohort of innovation and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".

ABC, which has televised the ceremony since 1976, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.

This decision follows film industry giants deal with intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were seen as problematic for an industry that has experienced significant downsizing over the past several years.

Like major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the viewers has increasingly opted for on-demand video instead.

YouTube winning the license to the Oscars strongly indicates that dependence on digital platforms will persist to grow.