The film industry's most celebrated awards presentation will depart from conventional broadcast channels, moving to a digital streaming service, The Guardian reported. Beginning in 2029, YouTube will hold exclusive international rights to the Academy Awards.
The contract spans four years, concluding in 2033, and includes the main ceremony along with red carpet programming, backstage footage, and Governors Ball coverage. Additional content includes the Governors' awards, nomination reveals, the nominees' Luncheon, student Academy Awards, interviews with Academy members and filmmakers, educational programming, and podcast material.
In a joint declaration, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor stated, "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." The executives added, "The Academy is an international organization, 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."
Recent years have witnessed the Academy diversifying its voting membership, with international voters now comprising 21% of the electorate.
Neal Mohan, YouTube's chief executive, indicated the collaboration would "inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy." He described the Academy Awards as "our essential cultural institutions."
The streaming platform has reached record viewership levels in the US throughout this year, sustaining its status as the top-performing streamer amid declining network television audiences, The Guardian reported. YouTube broadcast its first live NFL game in September, drawing over 17 million viewers. By April, the service had accumulated 9.4 million subscribers.
A network spokesperson commented, "ABC has been the proud home to the Oscars for more than half a century." The statement continued, "We look forward to the next three telecasts, including the show's centennial celebration in 2028, and wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued success."
In 2023, Netflix obtained the rights to the Screen Actors Guild Awards, rebranding them as the Actor Awards and transferring them from broadcast to streaming. Variety reported that Netflix and NBCUniversal had also competed for the Oscars' rights.
This trend has drawn sharp criticism from Hollywood. Screenwriter Daniel Kunka wrote on X in response to the announcement of the contract with YouTube: "YouTube broadcasting the Oscars is like shaking hands with the guy who's trying to kill you." An insider told Variety: "They can do whatever they want. You can have a six-hour Oscars hosted by MrBeast," referring to the widely successful American YouTuber.
