YouTube Secures Four-Year Exclusive: Oscars Going Fully Digital from 2029

Hollywood’s entertainment landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation as the Academy Awards announces an exclusive partnership with YouTube for global streaming from 2029 to 2033. This historic four-year deal positions the video platform as the sole destination for cinema’s most celebrated annual event, marking a definitive departure from traditional broadcast television.
The comprehensive agreement encompasses the complete Oscars experience, providing worldwide audiences with access to the main ceremony alongside red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes exclusives, Governors Ball content, the Governors Awards, nomination reveals, the nominees Luncheon, student filmmaker recognitions, ongoing educational initiatives, podcasts, and in-depth filmmaker interviews.
Academy leadership emphasized that this partnership serves their organization’s increasingly international composition. With more than one-fifth of voting members now based outside America, the Academy recognizes the strategic importance of partnering with a globally accessible platform that can deliver content seamlessly across borders and time zones.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan articulated his vision for preserving the Oscars’ prestigious legacy while cultivating new generations of filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts. The platform’s recent achievements, including maintaining the highest streaming viewership share in America and successfully broadcasting live sports to massive audiences, validate its readiness for this responsibility.
The announcement has generated significant industry discussion, with traditional broadcasters facing the reality of streaming’s dominance. ABC will host three more ceremonies before concluding their historic relationship, while YouTube prepares to welcome the Oscars into the digital age with a platform that reaches billions of users worldwide.