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The Academy Awards will commence broadcasting solely on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the newest major change in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the exclusive global rights to the Oscars up to 2033.

The Oscars, set for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on ABC. Starting in 2029, the show will be viewable in real-time without charge on YouTube.

This is a further major upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with company buyouts and fusions, along with steep production cuts.

"The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will enable us to increase availability to the activities of the Academy to the biggest global viewership attainable - which will be advantageous for our Academy members and the cinematic world," remarked organization heads in a announcement.

Throughout a long period, viewership of the televised event have fallen, even if there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of younger viewers watching from smartphones and laptops.

In a corresponding announcement, the video platform's chief executive called the Oscars "a key vital pillars of culture" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a younger cohort of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".

ABC, which has televised the awards since 1976, said that it was eagerly anticipating "to the upcoming broadcasts" it will still host.

This decision coincides with major studios confront intricate takeover attempts. These potential deals were seen as problematic for an business that has experienced severe reductions over the recent period.

Similar to major studios, cable networks have encountered challenges as the audience has chosen digital platforms instead.

YouTube winning broadcasting rights to the Academy Awards further suggests that reliance on digital platforms will carry on to grow.