The Oscars Are Leaving TV and Moving to YouTube in a Shocking Streaming Shake-Up

17 December 2025

An Oscar statuette. Credit: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

In a move that has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the Academy Awards ceremony, known universally as the Oscars, will shift from its long-standing home on broadcast television to exclusive global streaming on YouTube beginning in 2029. This historic decision marks the end of a more than fifty-year partnership with ABC that began in 1976, and ushers in a new era for one of the most watched and culturally significant nights in film.

The agreement between the Academy and YouTube runs through 2033, encompassing not only the main awards telecast but also related events such as red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and other Academy programming that has traditionally accompanied Oscar season. By embracing a free global streaming model, the Academy aims to expand access to its celebration of cinema to audiences around the world while reflecting changes in how viewers engage with live entertainment.

For decades the Oscars stood as a cornerstone of broadcast television, a live event that drew millions of viewers to network screens and became a hallmark of awards season. ABC’s stewardship of the broadcast has included some of the ceremony’s most memorable moments in television history, and the network will continue to air the Oscars through the 100th anniversary ceremony in 2028.

After that milestone broadcast, however, YouTube will take over as the exclusive home of the Oscars telecast, offering live streaming that is free to viewers around the world and accessible via YouTube’s extensive platform and YouTube TV subscriptions in the United States. The Academy and YouTube have emphasized that this transition leverages YouTube’s massive audience reach and advanced features, such as closed captioning and multilingual audio tracks, to bring the Oscars to a broader, more diverse global viewership.

The decision to move the Oscars to a digital streaming platform underscores a broader trend in entertainment consumption. Broadcast television audiences have declined steadily over the past decades, and major awards shows have grappled with how to remain relevant and engaging in an era dominated by online and on-demand viewing. The 2025 Oscars telecast, hosted by Conan O’Brien in March and broadcast on ABC, drew roughly 19.7 million viewers across television and digital platforms, marking a modest uptick from the previous year but still far below the peak viewership numbers of the 1990s. With YouTube boasting more than two billion logged-in users per month and a reach that spans nearly every market worldwide, the Academy sees this partnership as an opportunity to tap into a vast and potentially younger audience while preserving the Oscars’ legacy.

Academy leaders, including CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor, framed the move as a natural evolution in the Oscars’ mission to celebrate cinema on a global scale. In a joint statement, they highlighted the potential for increased accessibility and engagement, noting that the partnership with YouTube aligns with the Academy’s international focus and recent efforts to diversify its membership and audience. By offering live streaming and supplementary content in multiple languages with features like closed captioning, the Oscars will become more reachable to film fans regardless of geography or traditional television access. This approach also reflects evolving expectations among audiences who increasingly rely on digital platforms for live events and major cultural moments.

YouTube’s leadership echoed these sentiments, framing the partnership as a milestone that honors the Oscars’ storied history while ushering the awards show into the future. According to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, the platform’s unparalleled global reach and technological capabilities position it as a fitting home for cinema’s biggest night, with the potential to inspire new generations of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. By making the Oscars free and easily accessible, YouTube aims to democratize what was once primarily a broadcast event limited by geographic and network restrictions. This shift could transform not just the way audiences watch the Oscars but also how they engage with all aspects of awards season, including red carpet fashion, nominee reactions and cultural conversation that extends far beyond the ceremony itself.

The strategic move also highlights how entertainment institutions are adapting to the realities of the digital age. Streaming platforms and online video services have become central to how audiences consume content, from scripted series and movies to live sports and awards shows. The Oscars’ transition to YouTube may have far-reaching implications for other high-profile live events, potentially signaling a broader shift in how premium cultural moments are distributed and monetized. As traditional broadcast networks face increasing competition from digital alternatives, partnerships like the Academy’s with YouTube reflect a recalibration of priorities toward global reach and viewer engagement over conventional ratings.

While the announcement has been met with excitement about the potential for expanded access and innovation, it has also prompted reflection on the legacy of Oscars broadcasts that have been a fixture of television history for generations. Industry observers note that this change represents more than a new distribution platform; it symbolizes the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for an institution that has long been synonymous with the glamour and prestige of cinematic achievement. The YouTube partnership preserves the Oscars’ relevance in a rapidly shifting media landscape while honoring its tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking.

With the 2026 Oscars still slated to air on ABC and celebrate outstanding work from films released in 2025, the transition to YouTube will not take effect until the 101st ceremony in 2029. In the meantime, the Academy and its broadcast partners will continue to navigate the evolving expectations of audiences as they prepare for the centennial celebration in 2028, the last Oscar telecast on traditional television. As the global film community looks forward, the move to YouTube marks a bold and forward-looking chapter in the history of cinema’s most iconic awards event.