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Oscars Move to YouTube in 2029: Film's Future Goes Digital
18 Mar
Summary
- Oscars will stream exclusively on YouTube starting in 2029.
- The 2026 ceremony saw a 9% viewership decline from last year.
- This shift aims to expand global access to film history and programming.
The Academy Awards will transition to YouTube in 2029, marking the end of a 50-year broadcast partnership with ABC. This strategic move is designed to broaden access to the Oscars and cinema history on a worldwide scale.
The 2026 Oscars ceremony recorded 17.9 million viewers, a 9% decrease from the prior year and the lowest viewership in four years. This decline broke a four-year growth trend, with a notable 14% drop in the key 18-49 demographic.
In contrast to peak viewership decades ago, much of the ceremony's current engagement occurs online, with social media impressions surging by 42.4%. Organizers noted that live sports broadcasts, including the World Baseball Classic and NCAA Selection Sunday, also drew large audiences simultaneously.
The Academy Awards will continue to air on ABC and Hulu for two more years before the partnership officially concludes in 2028. Academy leadership expressed enthusiasm for the YouTube partnership, emphasizing its potential to reach an unprecedented global audience and inspire future filmmakers.
