©Courtesy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Starting in 2029, The Academy Awards will relocate to YouTube, paving the way for a new era for Hollywood’s premier awards show, which has been a staple of network television for decades.
Sciences was announced Wednesday and will begin at the 101st Oscars ceremony in 2029 and end in 2033. ABC has been broadcasting live since the 1970s.
“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 the statement. They also added, “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.”
The deal represents YouTube’s increasing influence in the television and video industry, and Hollywood’s acknowledgement of the power of digital media. According to Nielsen, a leading measurement firm, the platform, which is owned by the technology behemoth YouTube, was the most popular streaming television viewing in the U.S. last month. Since 1998, when “Titanic” conquered the ceremony and won 11 trophies, the Oscars ratings have generally declined.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said in a statement. “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.”
According to the academy, viewers worldwide and YouTube TV subscribers in the United States will be able to watch the ceremony live and free, which includes red carpet coverage and behind-the-scenes programming.
The loss of the Oscars to YouTube doesn’t hurt as much for Disney/ABC executives as it would have if it had ended up on a direct competitor like NBC Universal. Disney/ABC’s priority is live TV, as they have just acquired the Grammys from CBS, and they predict that in 2027, they will have the Super Bowl, the Oscars, and the Grammys all in one year.