The Oscars will move to YouTube, leaving ABC after more than half a century. “It's like shaking hands with the guy who's trying to kill you”
Oscar statuette, Photo: Valerie Macon / AFP / Profimedia Images
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a “multi-year agreement” on Wednesday that gives YouTube “exclusive global rights” to broadcast the Oscars from 2029 through 2033, according to CNN and the BBC.
The Academy Awards, which in 2026 will take place on March 15, have been broadcast for decades by Disney-owned ABC, which will continue to broadcast the event through 2028.
Starting in 2029, the gala will be streamed live and free of charge on YouTube.
CNN writes that the deal highlights the extraordinary shift in the balance of power in the media industry, which has been upended by YouTube and streaming platforms like Netflix.
“The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest possible audience worldwide – which will benefit our Academy members and the film community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement.
What the YouTube boss said
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan described the Academy Awards as “one of our essential cultural institutions.”
“Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to audiences around the world will inspire a new generation of film lovers and creativity, while staying true to the prestigious legacy of the Oscars,” Mohan added.
In Hollywood, opinions are divided between maintaining traditional storytelling models and moving to platforms like YouTube and Netflix.
“YouTube streaming the Oscars is like shaking hands with the guy who's trying to kill you,” screenwriter Daniel Kunka wrote on X when the announcement was made.
ABC, which has been the “proud home of the Academy Awards for more than half a century,” said in a statement: “We look forward to the next three broadcasts, including celebrating the show's centennial in 2028, and wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued success.”
