- The Academy Awards will leave ABC after 2028 and stream exclusively on YouTube starting in 2029.
- The Oscars will be free to watch globally, removing many of the access barriers that come with traditional network TV.
- YouTube will become the home for the ceremony plus year-round Oscar programming—including red carpet coverage and behind-the-scenes content.
- This shift reflects a bigger industry reality: live events are moving to streaming-first platforms to reach younger, international audiences.
In a headline-making pivot that feels like a turning point for Hollywood’s biggest night, the Oscars are moving exclusively to YouTube beginning in 2029. That means the Academy Awards will end a decades-long era with ABC and step fully into a streaming-first future—one built around global access, digital-native viewing habits, and a fan experience that extends far beyond a single broadcast.
The move begins with the 101st Academy Awards in 2029 and continues through 2033, giving YouTube exclusive global rights to the ceremony and associated Oscar programming. While ABC will still broadcast the landmark 100th ceremony in 2028, the long-term plan is clear: the Academy is betting that the future of cultural relevance lives online, not on traditional network television.
For entertainment professionals—actors, filmmakers, producers, and content creators—this isn’t just a distribution change. It’s a signal about where prestige, attention, and audience growth are heading next.
Why the Oscars Are Leaving ABC After 50 Years
For half a century, the Oscars and ABC were essentially inseparable. But viewing behavior has changed dramatically, and the Academy has faced years of pressure to modernize a show that once dominated living rooms but now competes with everything from TikTok to live-streamed gaming to bingeable global series.
The Oscars have still proven they can pull an audience—but the ceiling isn’t what it used to be. Recent ceremonies have shown improvements compared to low points in earlier years, yet they remain far below the peak era of broadcast dominance in the late 1990s.
That’s why the Academy’s strategy is shifting from “protect the broadcast” to “expand the experience.”
By moving to YouTube, the Academy can:
- reach viewers who no longer have cable or don’t watch network TV
- make the show easier to discover internationally
- build year-round Oscar storytelling through clips, shorts, interviews, and creator-driven content
- modernize engagement with interactive features that traditional TV can’t match
Academy leadership has framed the YouTube partnership as a global collaboration designed to expand access and spark a new wave of film fans.
What YouTube Gets: “All Things Oscars” in One Place
This isn’t just “watch the Oscars on YouTube.” The deal positions YouTube as the official home for a full Oscar ecosystem.
The partnership includes exclusive global rights not only to the ceremony, but also to key programming like:
- red carpet coverage
- behind-the-scenes content
- the Governors Awards
- nominations announcements
- additional related events and specials tied to Oscar season
In other words, the Academy isn’t simply changing where the show airs—it’s turning the Oscars into a digital-first content universe.
For U.S. viewers, access is expected to be free through the standard YouTube app, and viewable on YouTube TV as well. For global audiences, the big promise is the same: fewer barriers, more access, and a wider reach than the Oscars have ever had.
Why YouTube Makes Sense for the Academy
YouTube isn’t just a video platform anymore—it’s a global entertainment network with built-in search discovery, social distribution, and an enormous monthly user base. That scale is exactly what the Academy wants as it tries to restore the Oscars’ position as a true “everyone’s watching” event.
What YouTube offers that broadcast TV can’t:
- global distribution by default (no regional blackouts or complicated rights issues for many viewers)
- mobile-first viewing, which matches how younger audiences watch
- short-form amplification, where clips and moments can spread instantly
- interactive engagement through live chat, creator commentary, polls, and community-driven viewing habits
- always-on availability, where Oscar content lives year-round—not just one night
YouTube leadership has emphasized the platform’s ability to inspire new audiences through innovative features and creator ecosystems that help film culture travel faster and farther.
The Bigger Trend: Prestige Live Events Are Going Streaming-First
This move doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s part of a growing shift in entertainment: live cultural events are looking for scale where audiences already are.
In recent years, streaming platforms and digital ecosystems have been fighting to become the new home for major live moments. Sports, concerts, comedy specials, and fandom-driven events have all moved toward platforms that can deliver global reach, data-driven targeting, and digital-friendly formats.
The Oscars moving to YouTube feels like the next domino because the Academy Awards have one key advantage: they’re still one of the few entertainment events that can reliably generate “moment culture.” Memorable speeches, surprise wins, breakout performances, and viral red carpet clips are already optimized for online life. Now the Oscars are building their home where those moments actually live.
What This Means for Actors, Filmmakers, and Creators
For entertainment professionals, YouTube becoming the Oscars’ exclusive home could reshape how Oscar season publicity works—especially around visibility, discoverability, and global fan-building.
Here are a few ways the shift could matter:
- Bigger international exposure: A free global stream means more viewers worldwide can watch the ceremony in real time.
- New promotional lanes: Oscar-related content may expand into creator collaborations, digital interviews, and behind-the-scenes formats built for sharing.
- More clip-first storytelling: Acceptance speeches, reactions, and standout moments will likely be packaged and distributed faster, reaching audiences who never watch the full show.
- A stronger long-tail: Instead of one-night-only attention, Oscar programming can build momentum across weeks through continuous uploads and interactive segments.
A practical example: imagine a nominated filmmaker’s behind-the-scenes segment dropping during voting week, followed by a live Q&A, plus curated playlists of their filmography and influences. That kind of discovery loop is native to YouTube—and it’s exactly the kind of digital strategy that can elevate careers.
What Happens Next: The Road to 2029 Starts Now
Although ABC will still air the Oscars through 2028—including the 100th ceremony—this announcement shifts expectations immediately.
Now the industry will be watching for:
- how the Academy evolves its Oscar-season content strategy before the handoff
- whether YouTube expands multilingual access, global creator partnerships, and interactive formats
- how red carpet and pre-show programming changes when it’s built for a digital audience
- what new sponsorship and advertising models emerge for a free global stream
If the Academy executes this well, the Oscars could become less of a “TV show” and more of a multi-week digital event—one that reaches more viewers than broadcast ever could in today’s fragmented landscape.
The Bottom Line
The Oscars moving exclusively to YouTube in 2029 is more than a platform change—it’s a statement about the future of entertainment: global, digital-first, and built for how audiences actually watch today.
With a free worldwide stream, expanded behind-the-scenes programming, and a platform designed for discovery and shareability, the Academy is taking a big swing to make the Oscars feel culturally central again—not just prestigious.
And for anyone building a career in film and television, it’s a reminder that visibility is evolving. The next era of “Hollywood’s biggest night” won’t just be watched—it’ll be clipped, shared, remixed, and experienced everywhere.
