Topline
YouTube signed a multi-year deal to exclusively air the Academy Awards beginning with the 101st ceremony in 2029, ending a 50-year streak of the Oscars airing on ABC.
Key Facts
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its partnership with YouTube will run from 2029 to 2033, during which period the Oscars will stream live for free on YouTube and YouTube TV.
The partnership also includes livestreams of the Oscars red carpet event, behind-the-scenes content and other events sanctioned by the Academy, like its Governors Awards ceremony and the Oscar nominees luncheon.
YouTube secured the rights following a bidding war that reportedly also included NBCUniversal and longtime partner ABC, which Variety reported was involved in bidding but was “less aggressive” than other companies.
The Oscars have aired on ABC every year since 1976, and their partnership will expire in 2028 with the Academy Awards’ 100th ceremony.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement the YouTube partnership will “expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible,” citing “YouTube’s vast reach.”
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