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The Oscars Shift to YouTube-Only Streaming Starting in 2029

After nearly a century on traditional television, the Academy Awards will step into a new era.

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Headshot of Giselle Castro-Sloboda
Giselle Castro-Sloboda Fitness and Nutrition Writer
I'm a Fitness & Nutrition writer for CNET who enjoys reviewing the latest fitness gadgets, testing out activewear and sneakers, as well as debunking wellness/fitness myths. In my free time I enjoy cooking, going for a scenic run, hitting the weight room, or watching a documentary. I am a former personal trainer and still enjoy learning and brushing up on my training knowledge from time to time. I've had my wellness and lifestyle content published in various online publications such as: Women's Health, Shape, Healthline, Popsugar and more.
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Giselle Castro-Sloboda
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If you're a fan of the Oscars, familiarize yourself with watching events on YouTube before the 2029 ceremony.

 Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Hollywood's biggest night is getting a modern makeover. On Wednesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that the Academy Awards will livestream for free on YouTube starting in 2029, and will no longer air on broadcast television as of that year. 

CNET previously reported these rumors in August, but now it's official. The new partnership includes a multiyear deal, which will grant YouTube exclusive rights to stream the Oscars from 2029 through 2033. 

Since 1976, ABC has televised the Oscars, a partnership that will continue through 2028.

During the Oscars last March, the Academy experimented by livestreaming the award show simultaneously on ABC and Hulu. 

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YouTube will also stream red carpet and behind-the-scenes coverage, among other exclusive content. YouTube TV subscribers and viewers will also have access to digitized Academy museum exhibitions and programs from the Academy collection. 

"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," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement.

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Although viewership has declined over the years, the Oscars remain iconic, and actors and creatives in the arts aspire to win a golden statuette. With the latest partnership, the Academy could succeed in reviving more interest in the prestigious award show and reaching new audiences. 

"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," Kramer and Taylor said. 

Representatives for the Academy and YouTube did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The upcoming 98th Academy Awards will air on ABC on March 15, 2026, as will the ceremony's centennial celebration in 2028.