The Academy Awards Are Exiting Broadcast TV and Stream on the Video Platform Beginning in the Year 2029.
The Academy Awards are set to start airing only on the global video platform in the year 2029, representing the newest substantial transformation in Hollywood.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement on this week, stating that it finalized a long-term agreement granting the streaming service the unique international license to the Oscars up to 2033.
The Oscars, which is planned for March 15th, has aired for 50 years on the traditional network. Commencing in 2029, the event will be accessible live and for free on the digital platform.
This is another substantial shakeup in the entertainment world, which is navigating company buyouts and fusions, along with steep reductions in filming.
"Our Academy represents an worldwide body, and this collaboration will permit us to expand access to the mission of the Academy to the most extensive international crowd attainable - which will be advantageous for our membership and the cinematic world," said the Academy's executives in a statement.
Over decades, audience numbers of the ceremony have declined, though there was a minor increase in 2025, with a significant number of Gen Z and millennial watchers streaming from cell phones and desktops.
In a separate statement, the head of YouTube called the Oscars "a key fundamental cultural institutions" and noted that partnering with the Academy would "inspire a fresh wave of innovation and cinema enthusiasts while adhering to the Oscars' illustrious heritage".
The broadcast network, which has streamed the awards since the mid-1970s, commented that it was looking forward "to the next three telecasts" it will continue to air.
The move coincides with major studios confront intricate takeover attempts. Such proposals were viewed as problematic for an sector that has seen drastic cuts over the recent period.
Like major studios, cable networks have faced issues as the viewers has chosen digital platforms instead.
The platform securing the license to the Oscars further suggests that dependence on online services will carry on increasing.
