The Oscars is set to undergo a radical overhaul as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed a major agreement with ABC will end in the coming years.
The acting organisation revealed on Wednesday that Google's YouTube platform has secured exclusive rights to stream the Oscar awards ceremony globally beginning in 2029.
The arrangement, which extends through 2033, represents a dramatic departure from the traditional broadcast television model that has defined the event for decades.
YouTube will make the annual ceremony available at no cost to viewers around the world, marking a watershed moment for streaming services in the entertainment industry.
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It is understood the long-standing relationship between ABC and the Academy Awards will draw to a close following the 2028 broadcast.
"We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement.
"The Academy is an international organisation, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible, which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community," they said.
That particular ceremony holds special significance as it will mark the centenary of the Oscars.
YouTube has secured exclusive rights to stream the Oscars from 2029
|GETTY
According to reports, ABC has served as the broadcaster for approximately five decades.
The network will retain its role as the television home for the awards until the conclusion of its current agreement.
The 2028 ceremony thus represents both a milestone anniversary for the Academy Awards and the final chapter of ABC's extensive tenure with the event.
In the US, the awards show will also be available through YouTube TV, Google's subscription television service.
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The transfer will also mark the centenary of the Oscars
|GETTY
This dual approach ensures both free access for international viewers and integration with America's streaming television offerings.
The arrangement means that for the first time in its history, the Oscars will be universally accessible without requiring a traditional television subscription or broadcast connection.
"The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honouring excellence in storytelling and artistry," YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said in a statement.
“Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
More broadly, Oscars ratings have been in a state of decline since peaking in 1998, when "Titanic" won 11 awards and helped draw in 55 million viewers.
The awards show has drawn controversy in recent years, most notably in March 2022 when Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock after Mr Rock made a joke about Mr Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's, shaved head.
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