Oscars Move to YouTube: Global Broadcast 2029–2033
Oscars Move to YouTube: Global Broadcast 2029–2033
The Oscars sign a multi-year deal with YouTube, bringing the ceremony and related content worldwide from 2029 through 2033.
An industry-shaking deal reshapes how the Oscars reach audiences worldwide. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that exclusive global rights to the Oscars will move to YouTube starting with the 101st ceremony in 2029 and run through 2033. The shift marks the end of the long partnership with ABC, which will continue to broadcast the 100th Oscars in 2028. Under the new agreement, not only the main ceremony but all accompanying coverage—red carpet moments, behind-the-scenes clips, and the Governors Ball—will be available on YouTube, making the Oscars accessible to fans anywhere with internet access. The Academy emphasised the move is about expanding reach to the largest worldwide audience possible while maintaining the ceremony’s prestige.
Details about the 98th Academy Awards remain on schedule: the ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 15, and will be broadcast on ABC as in years past. Returning for a second consecutive year, Conan O’Brien will host the event. The entertaining host lineup and the evolving platform are part of a broader push to modernize the awards while preserving the ceremony’s tradition.
Leaders from the Academy framed the deal as a forward-looking collaboration. In a joint statement, CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said the partnership with YouTube will allow the Academy to celebrate cinema and the work of its members around the world, not just in cinemas and living rooms. They described the agreement as ‘multifaceted’ and designed to leverage YouTube’s reach to deepen engagement with fans, filmmakers, and the broader film community. The move is also seen as a response to changing viewing habits, with audiences increasingly turning to digital platforms for major events.
Industry observers have floated ideas about what this could mean in practice — potentially longer runtimes, more flexible presentation, and a shift away from the constraints of a traditional three-hour broadcast. Supporters say the change could unlock new kinds of content, sponsor opportunities, and more comprehensive coverage of categories that often miss the spotlight in a tightly timed telecast. Critics wonder how production quality will stay high with a streaming-first model. Regardless, the alignment signals one of the biggest shifts in a century of Oscar broadcasts, with the Academy betting that the future of cinema is inherently global and online.
Fans are watching closely as this transition unfolds. If the YouTube platform can deliver a seamless, ad-light experience with compelling hosts and rich behind-the-scenes access, it could set a new standard for award-show presentation. For now, the 2028 ceremony on ABC will serve as the final traditional-looking broadcast before the streaming era begins, and the world will be tuning in to see how the Oscars evolve on the world’s most visited video platform.
