The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday a partnership with YouTube that will bring the Oscars to streaming for the first time, giving the video platform exclusive global rights beginning with the 101st Academy Awards in 2029.
The multi-year deal runs through 2033 and will make the ceremony available free to YouTube’s more than 2 billion users worldwide, with YouTube TV subscribers in the United States also able to watch. The partnership marks a significant shift for the film industry’s most prestigious awards show, which has aired on broadcast television since the first televised ceremony in 1953.
“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.”
The agreement extends beyond the main ceremony. YouTube will stream red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and access to the Governors Ball. The platform will also host other Academy events including the Governors Awards, nominations announcement, Nominees Luncheon, Student Academy Awards and Scientific and Technical Awards.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan called the Oscars “one of our essential cultural institutions, honoring excellence in storytelling and artistry.”
“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,” Mohan said.
To improve global accessibility, YouTube will provide closed captioning and audio tracks in multiple languages. The Academy noted this aligns with its mission as an international organization representing more than 11,000 film industry professionals worldwide.
The partnership also includes a collaboration with Google Arts & Culture to digitize portions of the Academy Collection, which contains more than 52 million items and is the largest film-related collection in the world. Select Academy Museum exhibitions and programs will be made available digitally through the initiative.
Disney ABC will continue broadcasting the Oscars domestically through 2028, including the 100th Academy Awards ceremony. Disney’s Buena Vista International will handle international distribution through the same period.
The Academy founded the awards in 1929 to recognize excellence in cinematic achievement. The ceremony has become one of the most-watched annual events globally, though viewership on traditional television has declined in recent years.
