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The Academy Awards will begin airing only on YouTube in 2029, representing the latest major shift in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars declared the decision on Wednesday, confirming that it entered into a extended contract awarding YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.

The Oscars, scheduled for March 15th, has been broadcast for 50 years on the traditional network. Starting in 2029, the show will be viewable as a free live stream on YouTube.

This is another significant restructuring in Hollywood, which is dealing with studio sales and mergers, along with steep reductions in filming.

"Our Academy represents an global institution, and this collaboration will allow us to broaden reach to the work of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd imaginable - which will be beneficial for our membership and the film community," stated the Academy's executives in a statement.

Throughout a long period, viewership of the awards show have dropped, though there was a small rise in 2025, with a significant number of younger viewers watching from smartphones and laptops.

In a corresponding announcement, YouTube's CEO referred to the Oscars "among our vital cultural institutions" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "spark a fresh wave of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while staying true to the Oscars' storied legacy".

The broadcast network, which has televised the awards since the mid-1970s, said that it was excited "to the next three telecasts" it will still host.

The move coincides with major studios confront challenging merger discussions. Both options were viewed as problematic for an industry that has seen drastic cuts over the recent period.

Like big production houses, traditional TV channels have encountered challenges as the viewers has shifted towards digital platforms instead.

The platform securing rights to the Oscars strongly indicates that reliance on online services will persist increasing.