Key Points
- YouTube has secured the exclusive global streaming rights to the Academy Awards under a new multi-year deal starting in 2029.
- The Oscars will stream free on YouTube and YouTube TV, ending ABC’s nearly 60-year run as the show’s broadcast home.
- The agreement also covers year-round Academy programming and expanded digital access to the Academy Collection.
In just a few years, the Academy Awards will shift from the alphabet broadcast network to the streaming service owned by Alphabet.
On Wednesday, Google and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a new multi-year deal that will see YouTube offer the annual Academy Awards telecast on its streaming platform for free — a deal that gives YouTube the exclusive worldwide rights to the live broadcast.
Customers of the cable-like streaming service YouTube TV will also be able to watch the program, the companies affirmed in a statement. The deal starts in 2029; Disney’s ABC will continue to broadcast the show until then.
Financial terms were not disclosed. Alphabet outbid multiple suitors for the rights, including Disney. The agreement covers not only the awards ceremony itself but also red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes access and the Governors Ball.
The Academy said the move is intended to expand global reach and accessibility, including through closed captioning and multiple-language audio tracks.
YouTube will also exclusively distribute a broad slate of year-round programming tied to the organization, including the Governors Awards, Oscars nominations announcement, nominees luncheon, Student Academy Awards, Scientific and Technical Awards, filmmaker and member interviews, educational initiatives and podcasts. All content will be housed on the official Oscars YouTube channel.
In addition, Google Arts & Culture will collaborate with the Academy to digitize portions of the Academy Collection and provide digital access to select Academy Museum exhibitions and programs. The Academy Collection is the largest film-related archive in the world, comprising more than 52 million items.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor described the deal as a global expansion strategy, noting the organization’s international membership and audience.
“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,” Taylor said in a statement on Wednesday. “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. This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honoring our legacy. We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale.”
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan positioned the Oscars as a cultural institution well-suited to the platform’s global scale and creator-driven ecosystem.
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” Mohan affirmed. “Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
The move places the Oscars alongside other high-profile awards shows that have migrated to streaming platforms in recent years, as traditional broadcasters face audience fragmentation and shifting viewing habits. Netflix currently streams the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will be rebranded as The Actors Awards beginning in 2026.
For ABC, the agreement closes a nearly six-decade chapter as the Oscars’ broadcast home while guaranteeing three more telecasts, including the milestone 100th ceremony.
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