The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been airing the annual Academy Awards show, the Oscars, on ABC for decades. It’s been no secret the Academy was shopping the prestigious awards show around to other platforms.
It’s been confirmed that YouTube will have global rights to the Oscars, beginning in 2029, starting with the 101st ceremony. This multi-year deal between the academy and streamer is set to last through 2033.
All Oscars-related content, including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access, etc., will be on YouTube. This access extends to 2 billion viewers around the world, and to YouTube TV subscribers in the U.S.. As part of this move, the Academy will increase accessibility like adding closed captioning and audio tracks in multiple languages.
Reactions to The Oscars Moving
“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. “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.”
“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” Neal Mohan CEO of YouTube, said. “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 reports, the company paid over nine figures for the event. Some believe a selling point of the proposal was the Academy taking over full production of the show. A plus, given YouTube lacks the infrastructure that other streamers have. Even if this isn’t the case, the company has several years to develop a way to produce a show of this magnitude.
Additional Benefits
The Google Arts & Culture initiative will also provide digital access to select Academy Museum exhibitions and programs. Digitizing more components of the Academy Collection, which is the largest film-related assemblage in the world consisting of over 52 million items.
Nominees for the 98th annual Academy Awards will be revealed on January 22nd, 2026. The ceremony will take place March 15th, 2026, with Conan O’Brien returning as host. The Oscars will still air domestically on Disney ABC through the 100th ceremony in 2028, and globally via Disney’s Buena Vista International.
We’ll keep you posted on updates about this situation as it develops.
