The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and YouTube have signed a multi-year deal that gives the streamer exclusive global rights to the Oscars, with the agreement running from 2029 to 2033. It sees the awards show depart from US broadcaster ABC, with its final ceremony to be streamed in 2028.
ABC will continue to broadcast the annual ceremony through 2028, which will mark the 100th Oscars. It puts one of the most-watched non-NFL broadcasts in the hands of Google, with YouTube boasting some 2 billion viewers.
The Disney-owned ABC has been the broadcast home to the Oscars for almost its entire history. NBC first televised the Oscars in 1953, but ABC picked up the rights in 1961. Aside from a period between 1971 and 1975, when NBC again aired the show, the Oscars have been on ABC.
ABC said that it was looking forward “to the next three telecasts” it will still host.
The new deal with YouTube will begin with the 101st Oscars. YouTube will stream red carpet coverage, the Governors Awards and the Oscar nominations announcement, available for free to viewers around the world on YouTube and to YouTubeTV subscribers in the US. The partnership also includes access to Academy events on the Oscars YouTube channel. YouTube will feature closed captioning and audio in multiple languages.
While major award shows have added streaming partnerships, the YouTube deal marks the first of the big players — the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys and Tonys — to completely scrap broadcast television.
“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 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 added.
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honouring excellence in storytelling and artistry. 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,” YouTube’s chief executive Neal Mohan said.
The news comes after Warner Bros’s board rejected Paramount’s $US108.4 billion ($A163.7 bn) bid, saying it failed to provide adequate financing assurances. The board also said it found Paramount’s offer “inferior” to the merger agreement with rival Netflix’s.
Like major studios, cable networks have faced existential threat as viewers increasingly rely on streaming services. YouTube winning rights to the Academy Awards suggests that reliance on streaming sites will continue.
Falling ratings
The Oscars has experienced a steady decline in viewership over the years, though 2025 saw a slight uptick, with younger viewers tuning in from cell phones and computers in droves.
The 2025 Oscars was the first year of livestreaming on Hulu while also airing on Disney’s ABC, scoring 19.7 million viewers. The livestream experienced several glitches throughout the ceremony, with some viewers unable to see the final prizes.
Disney said the broadcast was the most-watched Oscars in five years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oscars ratings sank as low as 10.4 million. The Academy Awards telecast regularly topped 40 million just a decade ago.
New categories
In response to demand, the awards show made several changes in recent years to freshen up the nearly 100-year-old event. The includes the introduction of new categories.
Last year, it was announced Best Casting would begin to be awarded from 2026. In April of this year, the Academy announced it will introduce a Best Stunt Design category, to be in place by the event’s 100th anniversary in 2028.
The Oscars’ telecast has been slimmed down since 2023, with eight categories — such as editing, production design, sound and makeup and hair styling — presented off-air.
This week, the Oscars shortlist was announced for 12 categories, led by Warner Bros’ Sinners and Universal’s Wicked: For Good, which each landed eight mentions.
Comedian Conan O’Brien will return to host the 98th ceremony, taking place on 15 March.
