Hollywood’s biggest night is ditching the old guard for the world’s largest video platform. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will stream exclusively and for free on YouTube. This isn’t just a channel change; it’s a seismic culture shift, signaling the ultimate streaming takeover and a desperate, yet savvy, play for Gen Z’s eyeballs.
It’s official: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just signed the digital equivalent of a soul-selling deal. Forget the decades-long cozy relationship with ABC—the one that felt as permanent as the Hollywood sign. From the 101st ceremony in 2029 through 2033, the Oscars will be broadcast live and free, globally, on YouTube.
This move is more than just a scheduling announcement. It’s a glittering, statuette-shaped wrecking ball smashing the final pillar of linear television’s cultural dominance.
Let’s be real: The Oscars have been struggling. Viewership has been on a slow, painful ratings slide since the late ’90s peak, despite a slight COVID-era rebound. While the 2025 ceremony (still on ABC, still simulcast on Hulu) pulled a decent audience, it’s a fraction of the 57 million who tuned in during the Titanic era.
The Academy’s leadership, including CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor, didn’t mince words. Their statement reads like a mission brief straight out of a marketing major’s dream: they want to “expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible.”
Translation: They want the 2 billion logged-in users that YouTube brings to the table. They’re chasing the demo that doesn’t know what “cable bundle” means, the one that watches all their music videos, news, and micro-dramas on a phone screen.
This deal isn’t just about the main event. YouTube is set to be the total Oscars hub, including the red carpet frenzy, the nominations announcements, and even behind-the-scenes content that usually gets buried in the depths of network contracts.
This is a win. The ultimate anti-gatekeeper move. No paywall, no regional blackout (for most international viewers), and a platform built for instant reactions, super-chats, and clips. Imagine the sheer volume of GIF-able moments, the inevitable TikTok trend spawn, and the creator coverage—the possibilities for engagement are endless. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is betting on this, calling the partnership an opportunity to “inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers.”
The vibe is mixed. On one hand, it’s a massive, necessary modernization. As traditional media companies like Warner Bros. Discovery fight off takeover bids from giants like Netflix and cable networks continue to face production cuts, the handwriting is on the wall. Live events were the last fortress of linear TV, and now that’s falling too. As one screenwriter put it, the move feels “like shaking hands with the guy who’s trying to kill you,” reflecting the existential debate over traditional artistry versus digital reach.
More importantly, it forces the Oscars to completely rethink its format. The three-hour-plus runtime, structured around linear TV commercial breaks, is a relic. YouTube’s environment demands shorter attention spans, constant interaction, and a different kind of host (maybe a Creator Economy legend?). The Academy has three years to figure out how to transform a decades-old gilded cage into a dynamic, Gen Z-friendly digital spectacle. The pressure is on.
❓ FAQ
Why are the Oscars moving from ABC to YouTube?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is moving the Oscars to YouTube to address declining broadcast viewership and to reach a much larger, younger, and international audience. YouTube, being the world’s largest video platform, offers a free global stream, which helps the Academy meet audiences “where they already are.”
When will the Oscars start streaming on YouTube?
The exclusive global streaming deal with YouTube begins with the 101st Academy Awards ceremony in 2029 and runs through 2033. ABC will continue to broadcast the ceremony through 2028.
Will the Oscars ceremony be free to watch on YouTube?
Yes. The Academy announced that the Oscars, including the red carpet and behind-the-scenes content, will be available live and for free to over 2 billion viewers around the world on YouTube (US viewers who are not YouTube TV subscribers will have to tune in on the main YouTube platform).