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The Oscars ceremony will commence streaming exclusively on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the newest major transformation in the film industry.

The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on this week, indicating that it entered into a long-term agreement awarding the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars until 2033.

The awards show, scheduled for 15 March, has aired for a half a century on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be accessible as a free live stream on the digital platform.

This is a further major shakeup in Hollywood, which is dealing with company buyouts and fusions, in addition to drastic production cuts.

"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this alliance will allow us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd imaginable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the film community," stated the Academy's executives in a statement.

For many years, ratings of the ceremony have dropped, although there was a slight uptick in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers tuning in from smartphones and computers.

In a related comment, YouTube's CEO described the Oscars "among our fundamental pillars of culture" and said that partnering with the Academy would "spark a new generation of artistic expression and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".

ABC, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was looking forward "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will continue to air.

The move comes as large entertainment companies confront challenging merger discussions. Both options were viewed as unfavourable for an sector that has seen significant downsizing over the last few years.

In common with major studios, traditional TV channels have struggled as the audience has chosen on-demand video instead.

The platform securing broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards clearly signals that reliance on digital platforms will continue increasing.