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The Oscars ceremony will begin streaming exclusively on YouTube in the year 2029, signaling the latest significant shift in Hollywood.

The organization behind the Oscars revealed the news on this week, indicating that it signed a long-term agreement giving YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars through 2033.

The Oscars, scheduled for 15 March, has been televised for five decades on ABC. Beginning in 2029, the ceremony will be available in real-time without charge on the digital platform.

It's one more major upheaval in Hollywood, which is grappling with company buyouts and fusions, in addition to steep reductions in filming.

"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this alliance will enable us to expand access to the mission of the Academy to the biggest global viewership imaginable - which will be advantageous for our film artists and the movie industry," said Academy leadership in a release.

Over decades, viewership of the ceremony have dropped, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a notable portion of youthful audiences tuning in from mobile devices and computers.

In a corresponding announcement, the head of YouTube described the Oscars "one of our vital cultural touchstones" and added that teaming up with the Academy would "inspire a fresh wave of creativity and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious legacy".

The broadcast network, which has aired the awards since the mid-1970s, stated that it was eagerly anticipating "to the next three telecasts" it will still host.

This shift coincides with major studios confront complex corporate battles. Such proposals were viewed as concerning for an industry that has experienced drastic cuts over the past several years.

Similar to major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the audience has increasingly opted for on-demand video as an alternative.

YouTube obtaining the license to the Academy Awards strongly indicates that dependence on online services will continue expanding.