YouTube has won an Oscar: the legendary award says goodbye to television

One of the biggest events in the world of television broadcasting is gearing up for a radical transformation. The Motion Picture Academy of America has announced an unprecedented decision: starting in 2029, the legendary awards ceremony will move to the YouTube platform, ending more than half a century of traditional television broadcasting. The agreement includes exclusive global streaming rights up to and including 2033, and the show will be completely free to viewers around the world.

According to an official statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, ABC will retain the rights to broadcast the ceremony through 2028. Symbolically, the final broadcast on traditional television will coincide with the award’s centennial – the 100th Oscar ceremony. After this historic milestone, the baton will be picked up by video hosting giant Google.

A New Era of Movie Awards Accessibility

The partnership with YouTube opens up unprecedented opportunities for a global audience. The platform will provide not only a live stream of the main night, but also year-round content related to the award. Viewers will have access to the Governors Awards ceremonies, nominee announcements, live red carpet coverage and a host of other events previously unavailable to the general public.

The partnership will provide an unprecedented opportunity for viewers to access the Governors Awards, nominee announcements, live red carpet coverage and a host of other events previously unavailable to the general public.

A special focus on international audiences will be accompanied by multilingual audio tracks and subtitles, significantly expanding the reach of the broadcast to viewers outside of English-speaking countries. YouTube TV subscribers will also have full access to all content at no additional cost.

Subscribers to YouTube TV will also have full access to all content at no additional cost.

Although the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, industry insiders are calling it one of the most significant agreements in the history of streaming platforms. With YouTube’s monthly audience of roughly two billion users, the potential reach of the ceremony will be many times greater than traditional TV broadcasting.

The deal is expected to be one of the most significant in the streaming platform’s history.

The Academy’s strategic turnaround

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor emphasized that the move to a digital platform is in line with the organization’s global ambitions. The decision, they said, will reach the widest possible audience while supporting filmmakers and Academy members around the world.

The decision will allow the organization to reach the widest possible audience while supporting filmmakers and Academy members around the world.

“This is not just a change of broadcaster, but a rethinking of how we engage with audiences in the 21st century,” Academy executives say. They point to the need to adapt to the changing media preferences of viewers, especially the younger generation, who prefer digital platforms to traditional television.

“It’s not just about changing the broadcaster, it’s about rethinking how we engage with audiences in the 21st century,” Academy executives say.

First complete transition among the major awards

The Academy’s decision becomes the first time a major awards ceremony has completely moved away from traditional television. While other prestigious awards shows – the Grammy, Emmy and Tony Awards – have experimented with streaming partnerships, none have opted for a complete abandonment of television broadcasting.

The Academy’s decision marks the first time that a major awards ceremony has completely abandoned television.

The move puts one of the highest-rated non-sorted TV events under the control of tech giant Google. YouTube chief Neal Mohan called the Oscars a cultural institution and said he was confident the partnership would introduce a new generation of viewers to the celebration of cinematic art while preserving the ceremony’s legacy and prestige.

The Oscars are a cultural institution, and he said he was confident the partnership would introduce a new generation of viewers to the celebration of cinematic art while preserving the ceremony’s legacy and prestige.

Ending the ABC television era

The ABC television channel, part of The Walt Disney Company’s media empire, has broadcast the Oscars since 1961, with only brief interruptions. In six and a half decades of cooperation, the channel has become virtually synonymous with the award for American viewers. In an official statement, ABC officials expressed gratitude for the long-term partnership and wished the Academy well in its new endeavor.

According to a statement, ABC officials expressed gratitude for the long-term partnership and wished the Academy success in its new endeavor.

The channel emphasized that it is looking forward to the final three broadcasts, culminating in the historic 100th ceremony. The event promises to be a symbolic farewell to the classic broadcast era of the awards.

The channel emphasized that it is looking forward to the final three broadcasts, which will culminate in the historic 100th ceremony.

Challenges and prospects of digital transformation

Despite industry-wide concerns about declining television ratings, the 2025 ceremony drew 19.7 million viewers on ABC, a figure slightly higher than the previous year’s results. These numbers demonstrate that the Oscars remain relevant even in a fragmented media landscape.

The move to YouTube opens up new opportunities for monetization and audience engagement. The platform offers interactive features, live viewer engagement, social media integration and real-time analytics – tools not available in traditional broadcast television.

The platform offers a range of interactive features, live viewer engagement, social media integration and real-time analytics – tools not available in traditional broadcast television.

The solution is not without risks, however. Critics point to the potential loss of prestige of the event in moving to a platform associated primarily with user-generated content. There are also questions about how the advertising model will work and whether digital broadcasting can retain the sense of exclusivity and solemnity traditionally associated with the ceremony.

Impact on the Entertainment Industry

The Academy’s decision could be a game changer for the entire entertainment industry. Analysts anticipate that other major awards ceremonies will follow suit, especially if the Oscars experiment proves successful in terms of audience reach and commercial results.

Analytics suggest that other major awards ceremonies will follow suit, especially if the Oscars experiment proves successful in terms of audience outreach and commercial results.

The deal also underscores the growing influence of tech companies in the traditionally conservative film and TV production industry. YouTube joins platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, which have already changed the landscape of content production and distribution.

The deal also emphasizes the growing influence of technology companies in the traditionally conservative film and TV industry.

For the film industry, this means recognizing that the future lies in the digital space. Young audiences who watch little or no traditional television will become a priority target group, and the broadcast format may undergo significant changes, including more interactive elements and integration with social media.

The Oscars’ move to YouTube in 2029 is not just a change in broadcast, but symbolizes a fundamental shift in how we consume and perceive cultural events in the digital age. The coming years will show whether this move will usher in a new golden era for the oldest film award or require further adaptation to a rapidly changing media landscape.