In what amounts to one of the most significant shifts in US broadcast history, the Oscars are set to stream exclusively on YouTube from 2029, ending their long-standing presence on American linear television. The change will take effect after the expiry of the Academy’s current contract with US broadcaster ABC in 2028, a year that will also mark the 100th Academy Awards. With the transition, a partnership spanning more than half a century between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Disney-owned ABC will formally come to a close. This development is reported by The WP Times, citing France 24.
Under a new five-year agreement with Google-owned YouTube, Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremony will, for the first time, be available only via streaming. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Industry publication Deadline reported that the price YouTube was prepared to pay “didn’t make sense for Disney”, quoting anonymous sources familiar with the negotiations.
Academy targets global reach and digital audiences
In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor said the move would allow the Oscars to reach “the largest worldwide audience possible”, describing the decision as beneficial to Academy members and the broader film community. The Academy has increasingly emphasised international viewership as traditional television audiences in the US continue to fragment.
The Oscars typically attract around 20 million viewers in the United States, with millions more watching globally. However, the ceremony’s ratings have fluctuated sharply over the past decade. Just over ten years ago, Oscar broadcasts regularly exceeded 40 million US viewers. During the Covid-19 pandemic, that figure dropped to a historic low of 10.4 million.
Recent rebound highlights changing viewing habits
The most recent Academy Awards ceremony was watched by 19.69 million people, the strongest performance in five years. The broadcast was shown simultaneously on ABC and Disney’s streaming platform Hulu, marking a hybrid distribution approach. However, technical issues during the Hulu livestream left some viewers unable to watch the final awards, underlining both the opportunities and risks associated with streaming-first strategies.
Despite such challenges, audience behaviour continues to move decisively online. According to US media measurement data, YouTube now accounts for the largest share of television viewing time in the United States, surpassing all other streaming platforms, including Netflix. This scale and reach were central to the Academy’s decision to partner with YouTube.
Streaming platforms reshape Hollywood’s awards landscape
The Oscars’ move reflects a broader transformation across the entertainment industry. Streaming platforms backed by Silicon Valley firms have invested heavily in content and talent, often offering contracts that traditional studios struggle to match. While some filmmakers have expressed concern about reduced theatrical runs, streaming services have gained increasing acceptance within major awards institutions.
A key milestone came in 2022, when Apple won the Oscar for Best Picture with CODA, signalling a shift in attitudes towards streamer-backed films. Other awards ceremonies have already followed a similar path: the SAG Awards, recently rebranded as The Actors Awards, are now streamed exclusively on Netflix.
ABC prepares to close a historic chapter
ABC will continue to broadcast the Academy Awards until the end of its current contract in 2028. An ABC Entertainment spokesperson told AFP that the network had been “the proud home of the Oscars for more than half a century” and confirmed it would air the remaining ceremonies, including the centennial edition, before handing over distribution to YouTube.
As Hollywood continues to adapt to shifting audience habits, the Oscars’ move to an online-only format represents both a symbolic and practical turning point — signalling the end of an era for broadcast television and the full arrival of streaming as the dominant platform for even the most traditional live events.
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