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The Academy Awards are set to start airing only on YouTube in 2029, representing the most recent substantial transformation in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on Wednesday, stating that it entered into a multi-year deal giving YouTube the sole worldwide broadcasting rights to the Oscars up to 2033.

The awards show, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will be available in real-time without charge on YouTube.

This is a further significant upheaval in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, coupled with steep reductions in filming.

"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the film community," stated organization heads in a release.

For many years, ratings of the televised event have declined, although there was a small rise in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers tuning in from mobile devices and computers.

In a separate statement, the video platform's chief executive referred to the Oscars "among our vital cultural touchstones" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "motivate a younger cohort of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while remaining faithful to the Oscars' storied history".

ABC, which has streamed the ceremony since 1976, commented that it was excited "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will retain rights for.

This shift comes as film industry giants confront complex corporate battles. Both options were viewed as problematic for an industry that has seen severe reductions over the recent period.

In common with big production houses, cable networks have struggled as the audience has chosen streaming services instead.

The platform securing rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that dependence on online services will persist expanding.