The Oscars Are Moving to YouTube

The Academy Awards used to be the most prestigious and heralded ceremony of the year. But in a move that has sent shockwaves through all of entertainment, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced that the Oscars are officially packing their bags and moving to YouTube.

That's right, the future of the Academy Awards is on streaming, starting in 2029.

After a 50-year run with ABC, the 101st Academy Awards will mark the beginning of a multi-year exclusive global partnership with Google’s video giant.

Let's dive in.

The End of an Era

“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 a joint statement.

“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," they continued.

The Academy Award will still be found on ABC until 2029. The network will continue to air the Oscars through the 100th-anniversary ceremony in 2028. It’s a poetic conclusion to a relationship that defined the "Golden Age" of televised awards.

But it's going to be so weird to see them on YouTube. Sure, the Oscars will be accessible live and for free to over 2 billion users worldwide. And they won't rely on commercials or viewers to be profitable for any network.

Yet there's a part of the glitz and glamour that feels lost on streaming.

What the Deal Includes

This isn't just a livestream of the main event. The "multifaceted global partnership" means YouTube will become the hub for everything Academy-related.

• The Main Ceremony: Streamed live globally for free (and via YouTube TV in the U.S.).
• Red Carpet & Governors Ball: Exclusive behind-the-scenes access and ancillary events.
• Year-Round Content: Nominations announcements, the Student Academy Awards, filmmaker interviews, and film education programs.
• The Archives: Expect deep dives into the Academy’s massive library of film history.

A New Generation of Engagement

All of this is being done in order to gather new viewers and to give access to the awards to people across the world. YouTube hopes that they'll still get all the usual watchers and pull in more people.

“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” 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.”

This likely means the broadcast will look a lot different than the static, three-hour telecasts of the past. We should expect interactive features, multi-cam views, and perhaps even creator-led "watch parties" integrated directly into the stream.

And when it comes to hosts, you can expect some YouTube personalities to hand out awards.

While some purists might mourn the loss of the "big network" feel, the reality is that the audience has already moved. With the SAG Awards finding a successful home on Netflix, the Oscars' move to YouTube is less of a gamble and more of an inevitable evolution.

But it is very different, and will be interesting to monitor as we move forward.

Summing It All Up

The Oscars will be on YouTube starting in 2029...but what do you think? Is moving the Oscars to a free, global platform like YouTube the right move for cinema, or does it lose some of its "prestige" without the broadcast glitz?

Let us know in the comments.